In this age of maniacal multitasking, where if you arent doing three things at once youre likely to feel unproductive, I say its time to reclaim your ability to focus, I mean really focus, on one task at a time. Its time to mono-task.
Thats right, when youre on the phonedont read your emails, dont rifle through files, dont IM your spouse, dont surf the net andplease dont drivetalk, listen, engage in conversation. In fact, become engaged in whatever it is you are doing, something thats near impossible when youre dealing in multiples.
Mono-tasking saves energy (not to mention your sanity). In fact, studies show that multitasking is less productive and more stressful than concentrating on the task at hand. By doing less, you can actually get more done.
Here are some ways to transition from multi- to mono-tasking.
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Block it out. Plan your day in blocks, with open time in between for urgent stuff that comes up. You might try one-hour blocks, half-hour blocks, or take a page from your therapist, each session of work lasts 50 minutes followed by 10 free minutes to return phone calls, attend to emergencies, or zone out.
Prioritize. Figure out what you need to accomplish each day, estimate the time each task will take to accomplish (and then pad, since everything takes longer than you expect) and prioritize. Start your day by tackling number one on your list, and stay at it until its done. If it involves multiple steps, then work one step at a time. Dont work on anything else until that mission is accomplished. After a short break, attend to the next item on your priority list. .And so on.
