What Multi-tasking Is Robbing You Of!

I had the great opportunity to sit down with a friend over some coffee and chat about productivity. We both had incredibly productive months yet he seemed much happier about his accomplishments. I unfortunately have been feeling a bit worn down as of late, scatter brained and feel like I am juggling one too many balls.

Things are getting done… barely and the things I really wanted to achieve on a personal front seem to have taken the back burner this month. When we looked at my schedule, it was jam packed with overlapping projects, with no clear defined time for single tasks.

Does this sound familiar?

With the amount of responsibilities we carry on a daily basis our lives have become a never ending game of hot potatoe!

Between juggling a hectic work schedule, groceries, bills, kids, relationships and the long list of commitments our culture has been forced into this mindset of “multi-tasking” as the only way to achieve EVERYTHING we want in life.

Let me be the first to admit for the longest time I thought multi-tasking was the ultimate skill… I was proud to hold a conversation, manage my email and research an extremely important task all at the same time! I kept telling myself how productive I was – how i was spending far less time then other “single taskers”

In reality this MYTH of multi-tasking does more harm then good.

We are only half invested in each of these tasks, half appreciating the conversation, half replying to those emails and only half researching that extremely important task.

Our energy is only at 50% while our attention gets fragmented into 100 different ways. As a budding entrepreneur this is something I continue to challenge myself to master (even though its difficult at times). Working 24/7 mentally is a recipe for burnout.

What projects, people or responsibilities have you only been HALF INVESTED in this week?

Maybe it was an important presentation that you could have prepared better for.
A conversation with a friend – while were on your phone checking emails.
At the gym – while scrolling through your facebook newsfeed.

By multi-tasking you are actually robbing yourself of the FULL in the moment experience.
Being PRESENT in the moment is the greatest gift you can not only give yourself but the important people around you.

You are more effective, more engaging and will actually in many cases enjoy the process that much more!

My challenge for you in the next coming days, is to make a CONSCIOUS choice to be FULLY PRESENT for just one task.

Cook dinner and enjoy the process of smelling the fresh herbs you are cutting.
Go for a cup of coffee with a friend and leave the cellphone in the car… really be fully engaged in that conversation.

Sit on your balcony and enjoy the great view with an ice cold beer
and NOT CHECK YOUR EMAIL (*NOTE TO SELF THIS WEEKEND*)

What ever it is – do yourself the favour and SINGLE TASK something this week for a change 🙂

– Dewan