Multitasking: Is It All It’s Cracked Up To Be? (3 of 3)

When can Multitasking Be Manageable?

There are certainly times when a person is fully capable of multitasking. However, it is only possible when the additional activities are not serving as a distraction. Think back to when you studied for an important test or write a term paper in college. Perhaps you found it helpful to listen to music while you did this, but if you did you almost certainly chose music without singing. Why? Because having to follow along is highly distracting. But instrumental music with background noise can actually help soothe you and doesn’t provide any sort of distraction. In fact, it enhances your alertness and concentration as you master concepts and formulate sentences in your essays.

How To Succeed At Work By Avoiding Multitasking

Instead of attempting to get several things done at once, you should break down your short-term and long-term objectives. What do you hope to achieve on a daily basis? What are some of the lengthier projects that have weekly and monthly deadlines? Having a clear vision of the road ahead will allow you to decide what to prioritize. Imagine yourself concentrating solely on one activity, completing it in an hour, and then moving on to a second task that you finish in a second hour versus working on both of them at the same time, doing each less effectively, and taking three hours to get them done. It’s obvious which strategy you’d want to use and it will become clear what a difference this change really makes in your life both professionally and personally!