We generally think and believe
if we're multitasking we are working more efficiently. How many times
have you said aloud "I work so much better when I'm listening to music."
But do you really?
Ever notice how whenever you're walking down the street while texting or responding to e-mails you crash into someone else? You may not even need to be looking at your phone; sometimes even more simply: walking and thinking at the same time.
The truth is, we just aren’t wired for multitasking. Research shows that when we attempt to switch our attention back and forth we take 50% longer to finish a task and make up to 50% more errors. The average person takes half an hour to get back on track to completing a task when they get distracted by their phones, surroundings, or even background noise. In the worst case scenario, multitasking can literally cost us our lives or at a minimum, our dignity.
Ever notice how whenever you're walking down the street while texting or responding to e-mails you crash into someone else? You may not even need to be looking at your phone; sometimes even more simply: walking and thinking at the same time.
The truth is, we just aren’t wired for multitasking. Research shows that when we attempt to switch our attention back and forth we take 50% longer to finish a task and make up to 50% more errors. The average person takes half an hour to get back on track to completing a task when they get distracted by their phones, surroundings, or even background noise. In the worst case scenario, multitasking can literally cost us our lives or at a minimum, our dignity.
So what can you do in your daily life to avoid multitasking and using your time more efficiently?
- Control distractions – turn off unstoppable notifications, and keep your phone away with a silent mode. Give yourself a break from social media and the Internet.
- Set
boundaries for reading and responding to e-mail and texts. Limit
yourself to checking your phone every hour or 3 times a day while you're
working on your tasks.
- Schedule a specific time each day to make and return phone calls.
- Before starting the day, make a to-do-list. This will help you stay on schedule and focused until all of your work is complete.
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