Being an effective multi-tasker

By: Kelly Pierson

ProInspire Fellow 2013, National 4-H Council

My name is Kelly Pierson, and I am an ineffective multi-tasker.

After years of internal fighting, I can finally admit this truth. While I love to think that I can switch seamlessly between projects without skipping a beat, I simply cannot.

For so long I equated ‘multi-tasking’ with my ability to contribute to an organization in numerous facets. But I now fully accept that while I can wear different hats, I cannot do so simultaneously.  It’s been a very slow process for me to come to this realization, and I have probably wasted hundreds of hours attempting to refocus after switching tasks and reorganizing the responsibilities necessitated for each project.

Along the way, I have scoured blog post after blog post to find tips for workplace efficiency, as I know that managing my seemingly endless to-do list is the main roadblock that prevents me from focusing on the task at hand.  So in an effort to save you some time (efficiency in action!) I have synthesized my 9 favorite tips for focusing at work:

MAKE TO-DO LISTS WORK FOR YOU

1. Keep 2 to-do lists – On the first list, write down every random responsibility that pops into your head throughout the day and night.  Instead of having to remember to remember these thoughts, you will clear your mind when you jot them down, no matter how small they seem at the time.

   With the second list, write only the three most critical items from the first list that you must get done before the end of the day.  Ensure before leaving work that they are complete, and don’t allow yourself to add an extra item unless one of the original three is completed or removed.

2. Keep a public display of your current projects – This is especially beneficial if you take on projects from multiple managers or coworkers.  Keep a white board at your desk with all your current projects, and order them by priority from highest to lowest.

   This will remind your teammates of how much you are currently tackling before they add another thing to your list, and also allows you to ask them for guidance on how pressing a new request is by saying “Where should this fall on my current list of priorities?”

3. Tackle the “hate to-do” list – When possible, try to make one of the three items on your “must-do” list something that you’re really dreading.  I find that once I actually start the project I’ve been procrastinating, I feel much more at ease because I no longer fear that moment when I will begin, and I am more aware of exactly how much work needs to be done.

STRATEGICALLY (DIS)ALLOW DISTRACTIONS

4. Eliminate gadgets during times of high pressure – When you are working against a deadline or have been struggling to focus on a project, do yourself a favor and eliminate your most common distractions.  Silence and hide your phone, turn off your email, and exit (rather than minimize) the nonessential windows on your computer.

5. Employ new technology to your advantage – Ineffective at eliminating distractions on your own? Take advantage of some great new tools that do the work for you.

   Self-Control blocks out specific websites for predetermined periods of time, while TrackTime audits how you’re spending time on your computer.  Just a sampling of the useful apps our generation has created!

6. Set blocks of time on your calendar for desk time – You and I both know that meetings, while planned with the best intentions, are sometimes the biggest interference between you and actually doing your job.  Consider scheduling blocks of time on your calendar for you to work on that big project that’s due next week so that your downtime isn’t scarfed up by someone else.  You can also create a signal that tells others you don’t want to be bothered by non-critical questions, whether it be pulling a drawing board over to close off your desk or placing a cone at the edge of your cube.

Suggestions:

• Do this sparingly, as teammates will start to ignore these blocks of time if they take over your whole calendar.
• Discuss this strategy with your manager so he or she understands your intention is to improve your time-management rather than to be rude to others and deter collaborative meetings.

7. Reward yourself with periodic and regular breaks – I like to work in chunks of 50 – 90 minutes, and then give myself ten minutes to do something unrelated to work.  This break ranges from taking a walk outside, to listening to a few songs on my favorite music blog, to looking up funny animal photos (typically on Daily Puppy) that I then send to my coworkers for a stress-reliever.

   During times of intense workload for the whole team, I like to coordinate and take a group break since I find that contact with others (not related to work) keeps me sane.

KNOW AND MANAGE YOUR OWN STIMULATION LEVEL

8. Start on a full tank – If you’ve been running yourself ragged trying to get everything done at and outside of work, give yourself a night off.  Skip that kickball game and totally unplug for an evening or two.  Getting a full night’s rest, while sometimes rare, is critical to allowing yourself to focus.

   If an unplugged night during the week is not possible, try to disconnect one day over the weekend. While social media and email are seemingly necessary in today’s world, taking a break can really allow you to reset in a way that you will appreciate, I promise.

9. Choose suitable music to manage your stimulus level – If you are feeling overwhelmed and anxious, try quietly listening to music that will calm you down and allow your mind to settle.  On the contrary, if you’re feeling exhausted, put on some jams that will get your blood pumping.

   If you find that songs with words can distract you, try offsetting them with the virtual café sounds of Coffitivity, my new favorite online tool.