My last post focused (I guess pun intended) on stress as one of the top killers to focus in your job search, career management – your life! My #2? Multitasking!
For sharper focus, do one thing at a time.
#2 Focus Killer: You’re multitasking
Your brain can only process so many complex tasks before it fills up and freezes. According to neurological experts, the average number of mental goals a person can manage at one time ranges from three to nine, but keeping track of even four or five goals at once is challenging. Focusing on multiple immediate goals is “mental goal stacking”. If the stack gets too high, some goals will naturally get lost.
My client Sue told me about one of her recent full days – furnace repair guy at 8, conference call at 10, dog’s vet appointment at noon, project deadline by 5, pick up some groceries at 6, and daughter’s basketball game at 7. Fast forward to midnight. Sue’s lying in bed and giving herself kudos for all she’d accomplished. Except … she realized she had missed the vet appointment!
If Sue had had the experts to guide her through this goal-stacking – to help her not drop goals – one would think they’d offer some really awesome memory tricks. But the overall advice? Finish what you start. Leaving some of your jobs unfinished just adds to your set of unfinished tasks. That ever-growing pile of unfinished goals can gnaw away at you like a child asking repeatedly, “Are we there yet?” Better to tackle one thing at a time so it gets removed from the stack.
Multitasking is not your friend
I often find myself with many windows open in my Web browser. They are often not centered on the same task. That spells trouble. Experts say that conducting two unrelated tasks at the same time causes errors, pure and simple. Research clearly shows that contrary to popular belief, juggling several tasks at the same time really does not save you time and energy. What it does is keep you from devoting the required attention for each task or project. We’re pressured in this society to deliver things immediately because we can. But what about the quality of what we deliver? What about what gets left in the dust?
Now, if you’re writing a report in Word while looking at a related spreadsheet, that’s not multitasking – same task. If you’re writing a cover letter while looking at the prospective employer’s About Us page, that’s not multitasking. But if you’re jumping from thinking about your cover letter’s introduction to simultaneously checking your text messages and returning an email, you could easily shortchange each task.
Multitasking is not necessary to land a job
Yes, it’s common for a prospective employer to ask you in the interview if you can multitask. They’re not hoping you have six arms to juggle with. They want to know if you can handle multiple priorities and tasks. Again, research supports that multitasking is not the way to go. Companies want talent who can unitask – they don’t come unglued when they have to concentrate because they’re so used to thinking just a bit about multiple things. Yes, speed’s important; but thinking is more important. Instead of answering that related interview question with “Yes, I am very adept at multitasking,” say “I know when to stop multitasking.” Now that’s a very marketable skill!
Unitasking is your friend
Unitasking, like any habit is not cultivated overnight. If you’re a multitasking addict, here are intervention tips:
- Start your work (job or job search) ten minutes early. Relax before you think about the work day. Breathe deeply. Write down five important things you need to accomplish that day. Write them from most important to least. Detail the steps you need to finish a project so you’ll spend less time backtracking should you get interrupted.
- Stop checking your emails and phone messages every few minutes. Turn off email notification sounds and pop-up windows; silence your cell phone while at work. Write down the exact time you will check your messages. Even if your job demands fluidly handling emails, check messages just once an hour. Having check-in times will give you comfort and control without constant disruption.
- Take ten minutes to reboot if you need to. A quick walk, stretch or cup of coffee. Clear your mind to stay focused.
- When on a project, devote your full attention to it. If the phone rings while you’re in the middle of a project, let the receptionist or your voice mail take it. Set boundaries. Know that your time is valuable. Enforce appointments and stick to a schedule that benefits you. Close your door when you need to. If someone wants a quick answer, ask for a better time to go over the topic. Put on a pair of headphones to let people know you’re in the “zone”. You don’t have to be accessible to everyone at all times.
- Reward yourself when you’ve had a stretch of productivity. Here’s a good time to engage with others. Respond to emails. Connect on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.
There’s a delicate balance here. I think the key is to embrace both concepts: unitask for focus-intensive things; multitask for less focus-intensive things. Even with a mile-long to-do list, what if you really focused on what you’re doing right now? How might that feel?
Photo: sparklefish
