How to Multi-Task Productively
I first came across the knowledge in this area while listening to Brian Tracy. Leading Forward has a few good bullet points that I think you can probably read in less than 2 minutes.
Leading Forward: How to Multi-Task Productively
Effective multi-task requires careful thought, in addition to my previous post, some tactics to bear in mind to ensure appropriate multi-tasking are:
- Limit multi-tasking to simple tasks. Keep multi-tasking to simple tasks, that which does not require deep thinking, creative thinking or problem solving.
- Set apart time and energy for important work. Give important work, work requiring deep thinking, problem solving or creativity and imagination, the quality, energy and time it deserves. This will mean you will need to persevere on an important task until it’s completed
- Remove distractions and limit interruptions. When working on complex and important tasks, remove distractions, shut down your e-mail client, switch off your phone and TV, etc. Focused time and energy on important, complex tasks IS the most productive way to work!
- Daily and medium-term planning is crucial. Without effective daily and medium-term (a 40 day window) planning, ensuring appropriate multi-tasking is impossible, you ultimately remain in crisis (multi-tasking) mode. Planning helps to schedule time for important and complex work which is best suited for focused attention.
I have found that I often lose data (ie: thoughts and ideas) when I am forced to switch between tasks. Even when these tasks are related (parts of the same project), I either have to completely finish what I’m working on, or write down all the important things I need to remember with the regard to the task (which saves me some loss in productivity, but less than if I just switched without capturing that data).
How many times have you gone “Oh, right, now I remember you saying that”?
