The irony of this time of year is that we often run like mad before we can enjoy the holiday season. 2014 plans are being made. Teams are wrapping up projects. And our calendars are extra booked with holiday parties, gift buying and seasonal merriment.

 

[sws_picture_frame5 src=”http://clearconceptinc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Multitasking.jpg” title=”” alt=”” align=”sws_frame_right” lightbox=”” album=”album” video=””] [/sws_picture_frame5]Earlier in my career, I use to employ my finely-tuned multitasking skills to manage the increased holiday demands. I’d check emails during meetings. I’d fly between projects faster than reindeers. And conference calls were a blessed gift of free time to wrap up all sorts of unrelated things.

But this multitasking approach often left me feeling stressed and frustrated about how little I was actually accomplishing. About a decade ago, I finally started listening to the very compelling research. I decided to change my ways. And I decided to start focusing on one thing at a time.

Focusing always trumps multi-tasking, and for three solid reasons:

Focusing is Faster:

When we are trying to do two things at the same time we are actually switching back and forth between the two tasks. Scientists have concluded that our brains cannot parallel process two tasks. We actually sequentially process. And every time we switch between tasks, we lose time in the transition. The more we switch, the more time we lose.

Dave Crenshaw coined the term “switch-tasking” in his book The Myth of Multitasking. He makes a pretty compelling case for how much time we waste switching from one task to another. And if you’re interested, ask me to tell you about a simple exercise that shows that multi-tasking takes roughly twice as long. Focusing is always faster.

Focusing is Better:

When we jump back and forth between multiple tasks, we are more likely to make mistakes. Our mistake might be a simple “oops” like forgetting to add an attachment to an email. Or it could be a more substantial mistake like sending confidential information to the wrong person. Regardless, mistakes are more likely to happen when our attention is divided.

If details are important in your job (and I’m guessing they are), then focusing on one task at a time will allow you to deliver better quality work.

Focusing is Easier:

Doing two things at once is draining. It is also more stressful. We only have so much energy to work with each day. And we end up squandering our energy when we multi-task. This is time that we don’t have to waste during the holiday hustle.

             Focusing is a calmer, less stressful and more energy-efficient way of operating.

During this holiday season (and truthfully, all year round), I am resisting the urge to jump from one thing to the next. It’s the “one thing at a time” approach for this gal. And I hope you’ll agree with me that focusing trumps multi-tasking.

I hope that these tips help you to enjoy some well-deserved time off over the holidays. All the best and I look forward to chatting again in 2014!