Multitasking is a great way to get many things done at once, but too many times people don’t get it right and end up causing themselves more stress. For this reason, experts are warning people to NOT multitask and just focus on one task at a time. As a parent, someone in the working field, or both- you know that isn’t always possible. But you can get better at multitasking with just a few easy tips.
Make a List and Establish your Goals
What do you want to accomplish? What do you need to accomplish? When do the needs have to be completed, and when do you desire for the wants to be done? Once you have your goals and time frames firmly established, you can figure out which ones you can or need to multitask on and which ones you need to take individually.
Focus Attention on One Thing
This may seem counterproductive to multitasking, but it helps it. The tasks that need the most attention should be focused on with all of your attention so that you can complete them quickly. The smaller tasks can wait until you can multitask those without worrying about the complex tasks.
Take Out the Things That aren’t Necessary
For example, do you really need to read a book AND listen to music? This can actually cause your brain to become exhausted faster, and will lead to an inability to focus on anything. If listening to music helps you clean your house, then go for it! But if listening to music takes you away from writing a school paper, turn off the radio.
Pair Tasks
For example, you need to email a few people and write a paper. Write four paragraphs, then send an email. You are still writing, but you give yourself a break form the paper, which can help your mind take a break, and yet you stay productive by emailing the people you need to email.
Choose Task You Can Do at the Same Time
If you need to make a phone call, but you know you’ll be on hold or you don’t need to sit still for it, choose to clean the bathroom at the same time you are on the phone.
Fill in Gaps
You are baking a cake and it needs to bake for 30 minutes before you can do anything else with it. So, fill in that time gap by cleaning the mess yo made in the kitchen. Always have smaller, faster tasks you can complete while waiting on things form larger tasks to come to fruition or move into another state.
