A closer look at “multi-tasking” will reveal the truth.
Let’s say that I’m answering emails while talking on the phone. This is a great example of multitasking, right?
I would be wrong.
In this case, I’m not doing two things at once but rather, I’m alternating my attention between the two tasks. I can’t listen to the person on the phone while I’m forming my email response.
And I can’t formulate my thoughts to speak back to the person on the phone while I’m reading the next email.
How these two tasks really break down is like this, I end up doing a little bit of task A. Then I do a little bit of task B, and I go back and forth and neither task is done well.
The end result is that the person on the phone can tell I’m not listening. They might even ask things like, “are you listening to me?” or “did you hear me?”.
Or I might say when I catch them saying something important like a time or a date, “could you repeat that please, I was distracted?”.
The email response I am writing during that phone conversation misses the mark too. When I hang up the phone and reread the email I see that it’s a mess and I need to fix it.
There are tasks that we do on autopilot in our daily routine.
This multitasking fiasco goes for any task that I can’t put on autopilot. I can do things like shower, walk, run, drive, make coffee, and do many other tasks without thinking about them.
Because those tasks are routine and you’ve performed them many times before, you can do them on autopilot. But when you’re doing anything that takes real thinking, it’s best to focus just on that task and nothing else.
Staying focused during a task takes practice.
Begin practicing your focus today, even reading this post. Your mind will want to wander to other things like all the things on your to-do list, meetings, phone calls, and more.
While you are having a face-to-face conversation, stay focused and present, and don’t let your eyes and thoughts distract you.
It’s also important to avoid distractions or at least be courteous when they come at you while on the phone. “Please hold that thought and I will be right back” or “something just happened that needs my immediate attention”.
Studies show it takes an average of 25 minutes to get focus back.
Whether checking your email, answering the phone, or even getting up to get a cup of coffee can take you off track. You lose momentum and you have to backtrack to see where you left off.
A recent study of office employees demonstrated that when their work was interrupted, it took them 25 minutes on average to get back into their previous focus.
Anything that requires engaged thinking like writing, reading, speaking, etc., is not something you should try to juggle. Because it will actually cost you MORE time and provides less than stellar results.
So even if you have to lock yourself in a room, disable your email and turn off your cell phone. Do what it takes to keep from getting distracted, I strongly suggest that you do it.
Give yourself the opportunity to be professional.
Here is a great tip when you are really focused and making progress on a task. An important email or phone call comes in and will distract you and disrupt your focus.
Set a time when you can first gather your thoughts and then get back to them. Then you can be focused and prepared before making that phone call and you will be more professional.
Realize that when they call you that they have all their notes and preparations ready. Your mind might be a million miles away from the subject they are calling about and focused on another project.
You can answer those emails and return those phone calls later when your work is completed.
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