How Well Do You Single-Task?
Last week’s article was about getting things done F.A.S.T – by being focused, aligned and single-tasking. We have been conditioned to honor multi-tasking for so long, it might be a difficult habit to give up. I know I have proudly coveted my imaginary multi-tasker badge of honor. People who know me well would attest to my ability to get things done, and to juggle competing priorities. It ends up, I was not multi-tasking at all. I was, and am, juggling many things, and I get them done individually and with determined focus. Indeed, I have been single-tasking all along. And you likely have too.
In a previous article (How Inner Balance Serves Outer Challenges), I provided an overview of Parkinson’s Law and how to combat the tendencies related to this law of human behavior. The law speaks to how we will fill the time provided for a task or project, regardless of the amount of time the actual task/project takes. The F.A.S.T approach comes in handy here.
Let’s say you know you have until the end of the month to produce slides for a presentation, or a report for your boss. Parkinson’s Law informs that you will likely take all month to compete this. However, you are aware it does not actually take a month to complete the slides. As the month unfolds, producing these slides become a competing priority with other things on your plate. How do you fix this?
As soon as you receive the request, do the following:
- Focus: Estimate exactly how long producing the slides will take you. Set artificial time constraints for each component of producing the slides (i.e. research/data gathering, design, review…) – plan to do each component in the time that is needed, not in the time frame that is allowed or given.
- Align: Block this time specifically on your calendar. This may be weekly blocks or one big block of the estimated time.
- Single-Task: Do the work during the time you have blocked and if the block (dedicated time) is compromised, re-block the time.
- Celebrate what you accomplish in each specific block of time!
- Recalibrate if you find your time estimates are off.
This sounds easy enough, though if it was, I doubt I would coach clients on proactiveness and productivity each week. Human nature, habits, and external distractions conspire to derail us. Committing to being a single-tasker is the first step toward continual success. Answer the following to determine how well you are naturally set up to single-task.
| YES | NO | ||
| 1 | When I log into a virtual meeting, I drop all else I am doing and engage in the current meeting without distraction. | ||
| 2 | When a meeting invite pops up that I put on my calendar for myself, I consider it as important as any other meeting with others (my boss or team). | ||
| 3 | If I am working on a project that I set an hour aside for and I do not complete it, I automatically estimate the amount of time to complete it and block that time on my calendar. | ||
| 4 | When I am working during blocked project time, I have all alerts off (email, IM, phone, Social…). | ||
| 5 | When I block specific time for a project, I clearly identify in the invite what I will complete in that timeframe. | ||
| 6 | Before I start a complicated or detailed project, I take 5-10 minutes to center myself and prepare myself mentally for the challenge before me. | ||
| 7 | I start each time blocked for project or personal work with a clear understanding of my desired outcome for that time. | ||
| 8 | My team is aware of my commitment to time blocked on my calendar and would not double book me without my permission, and my ability to move blocked work time elsewhere. | ||
| 9 | When my single-tasking efforts expose other important issues or new information, I routinely block time to explore this further. | ||
| 10 | I reflect daily on my accomplishments and celebrate when I was able to focus and align on a single task. | ||
|
TOTAL “YES’s” |
Add up the number of times you marked “Yes.”
- If you have 8 or more Yes’s, you are well on your way to being a stellar single-tasker.
- If you have at least 6 Yes’s, you likely know exactly where you need to tighten up your processes and are ready to commit to single-tasking.
- If you have fewer than 6 Yes’s, we should talk. There is an easier way to get your work done. You are poised to find much more joy in adopting a proactive approach to your work.
Our brains are wired to focus on one task at time. While we can attempt to focus on multiple things at once, the likelihood for errors increases. Who has time for rework?
Neuroscience supports that when we focus on a single task, the left and right sides of our prefrontal cortex work together. In this scenario we benefit from memories, patterns, cognitive flexibility, and creativity, to name a few associations of both sides. When you really wish to get something accomplished, settle in and take full advantage of your beautiful brain.
Start now! I challenge you to spend the next 15 minutes creating blocks of time that will serve you and your to-do list well next week. Then, take a look at where you said “No” above and make a commitment to change just one thing. A single step in the right direction can have a large and lasting impact while lightening your load.
