Forget Multitasking -- Start Mono-tasking

In this age of maniacal multitasking, where if you aren’t doing three things at once you’re likely to feel unproductive, I say it’s time to reclaim your ability to focus, I mean really focus, on one task at a time. It’s time to mono-task.

That’s right, when you’re on the phone—don’t read your emails, don’t rifle through files, don’t IM your spouse, don’t surf the net and…please don’t drive—talk, listen, engage in conversation. In fact, become engaged in whatever it is you are doing, something that’s near impossible when you’re 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 for 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 it’s done. If it involves multiple steps, then work one step at a time. Don’t 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.

Focus. When you are working on a task, turn off all other distractions. Close your office door (if you have one). Work off-line if you can. Let your calls go to voicemail and shut off your cell. Focus is the mantra of mono-tasking. If you interrupt your concentration with sudden thoughts of things to be done, write it down and get back to the task at hand.

Process. Leave blocks of time to attend to whatever it was you didn’t attend to while focused on the task at hand. Go through you email—read, respond, delete, or take whatever other action you need to empty your inbox. Return phone calls or process the pile of papers that accumulated on your desk inbox.

Adjust. Okay, so the schedule didn’t work out quite as planned. That meeting ran long, a client showed up unexpectedly. If your caught mid-task, write a note as to where you were to make the transition back to that task easier.

Jonny Bowden, PhD, C.N.S., a sought-after speaker on health and nutrition issues, is the author of The 150 Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth, The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The surprising unbiased truth about what you should eat and why, and The 150 Healthies Meals on Earth. This article is adapted from his latest book, The 150 Most Effective Ways to Boost Your Energy. For more information, visit www.jonnybowden.com