How “Doing It All” Gets Nothing Done by Dave Crenshaw
This book confronts a popular idea that defines our busy work-a-day world. This simple and powerful book clearly shows what multitasking really is, and how this lie wastes our time and money. Far from being efficient, multitasking actually hurts our work and relationships.
The myth of multitasking is involved in every aspect of our lives. These are not only included in our way of talking, but also in the way we work and live in our day to day lives. Multitasking can be a bigger problem than you think.
The traditional way of handling multiple tasks simultaneously is multitask. But the thing here is that multitasking is a lie. This method of working is called switch tasking, and is an inefficient and inadequate way of working.
Researchers of Vanderbilt University study say that the study has not found a single piece of neurological evidence that can prove that the human brain is capable of doing more than one thing at a time.
Human brain is an impressive thing to see. But, when you try to focus on more than one thing at a time, it does not perform well.
There is no such thing as multitasking, there is only active and passive switch tasking. The brain can switch from one task to another. It happens so quickly, that you think it is multitasking. But, what is actually happening is switch tasking.
There are two different types of switch tasking: – You either do active switches or passive switches. Active switches occur in situations created by you, such as deciding to check your e-mail while talking to someone on the phone. These will be the switches you are actively making. Passive switches occur in situations that are initiated by something or another person.
The truth is that switch tasking is not an effective or time-saving way of working. Switching between tasks is ultimately inefficient and a waste of time, because you are making an active or passive switch, you must compulsorily start another to stop thinking.
Most stores do not have a 24/7 opening and it works just fine; Because customers know very well when they can come there to meet their needs. The same concept can work for your office.
You can also take a similar step to take care of annoying phone calls. Leave an outgoing message on your voicemail, which can tell callers when to get in touch with you. For example, you can leave a message that says, “I am unavailable right now, because I am in a meeting or with a client. Please note that I check my messages at 10:00 am, 2:00 pm and at 4:00 pm.
Most people have a misunderstanding of how they spend their time. When Helen reconsider, she realized that she had overstated the time she spent with her family. Even when she was at home, Helen was often working by answering emails and reading trade magazines.
If you want to ensure that when and where you are spending your time, prepare a schedule and budget the time for the future. First of all, be honest and accurate, how you are currently spending your time and keep writing your activities on schedule.
Instead of forcing changes, set an example and let your employees follow. Since the idea of multitasking has been idealized for so long, hence in order to better understand people and change their habits should be seen as a process.
As a leader how your personal system can be different from others. Once it is clear, it gives better results. This will become an accepted way of doing business. Do not force change among employees. Establish a personal system, which will proceed to influence the larger ecosystem of business.
Your first step may be to organize a meeting and tell everyone to stop switch tasking; But there is another effective way to change people’s habits.
Start implementing anti switch tasking changes: Set up regularly scheduled meetings, have regular office hours and start managing your email and phone calls in a focused way. All these policies soon affect wider business protocols in a positive way.
Fact is, that it is impossible to focus our attention when doing more than one thing at a time. We are actually switching between activities and tasks, due to which we are taking more time to complete our tasks.
So let us make a promise to ourselves that we will not do switch tasking any more, instead we will work on focused tasking. Because life is a Miracle.
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