Multi-Tasking - Can We Really Do It?

There are conflicting reports out there about multi-tasking. It’s something we can all do and should do. But wait. No, it’s something only women are good at and men are woeful at. Or then again, it’s a productivity drain no matter who’s doing it… We’re entitled to feel a bit confused.

Personally, I find doing multiple tasks simultaneously to be draining. I’m someone who likes to focus on something and get it done. However, I also tend to waffle and have perfectionism deep in the genes, both of which mean I can easily spend way too long on the one thing. I’ve tried different tips and techniques from the productivity gurus out there and here are some that I’ve found helpful:

Keep a time log. This is an oldie but goodie and must still be relevant as there are so many apps now that enable us to do it. It’s a bit like one of those 'where does my money go' reality shows where people log every penny they spend and are often shocked at habits they hadn’t noticed. So it is with time. Do this for a day and you may get some insight - but you may also be on your best behaviour and distort the data. Do this for several days and you’ll get a clear idea of where your time goes. Create a ‘Not to do’ list of the least productive parts of your time log and keep it visible.

Identify the time bandits and deal with them. They may be particular tasks, or certain processes and routines, or most likely of all, people – including you. That’s why the time log is such a good place to start. If you have a colleague who’s hijacking too big a chunk of your time each day, by all means give them a few minutes, then politely explain you have to get something done by a certain time and move on.

Batch tasks together, such as dealing with your emails, or making calls, or walking around your office to catch up with people you need to see face to face.

Make a start. If you’ve been putting something off, spend 15 minutes on it and make a start. Stop at 15 minutes and do something else - that’s right, multi-task - and come back to it later for 20 minutes, later for 30 minutes and so on until you get it done.

Plan what and when. Spend a few minutes each day planning out what you need to do and when you’re going to do it, rather than falling into 'parallel universe' syndrome where your to-do list says one thing, but you career around doing other stuff as it pops up.