Committing a deadly sin called multitasking

We all have two hands and one brain, but why is it that we are more inclined into juggling several tasks at the same time? We rivet to the computer screen while grabbing a sip from a tepid cup of coffee, one hand is on the keyboard while the other is on the phone. Multitasking is a habit that everyone is stuck in. Being slave to multitasking does not make the entire work process easier either. In fact, it does more harm than good.  With multitasking, you give only a percentage of your attention on various tasks. For instance, you work at the computer, but you are also calling a friend on the phone. Instead of giving your full attention to one task, you only give 50% of your attention to each task. Does this mean you are compromising on quality?

Why multitasking doesn’t work?

You might have already deluded yourself into believing that doing multiple jobs at the same time can speed things up. Wrong. The more tasks you try to carry out at once, the more time  wasted. That’s the theme of the equation because you are not giving your full attention to these tasks. The chance of committing errors also increases because you have to look away from your screen to attend to another task.

If you deem multitasking as a technique to increase productivity, you might be on the wrong track. This may appear to be a startling truth but doing two jobs at once can make you miss out on doing the job correctly. If you commit errors, you have to go back and repeat what you did. You keep on moving backward instead of moving on with another task.

You can also hamper the learning process if you settle with multitasking. It appears that you  race against time and instead of carefully learning the process that your task entails, you are focused on one goal, which is finishing the job at once.

Since mistakes are inevitable when you are multitasking, you are more likely to cheat by ignoring the mistakes you made so you can move on with another task.  Instead of multitasking, introducing mindfulness into your life can work wonders. Not only does it help you stay focused, you can also improve your personal life.

When you practice mindfulness, your attention becomes undivided and you have fuller concentration on things that really matter. Mindfulness also allows you to dedicate your time on your work so you can deliver high quality results. You are not focused on finishing the job but also on ensuring that the job is completed correctly.

You can take your job to a higher level if you choose to be mindful. It takes time before you can master mindfulness, but once you do, you know it will be worth it. Even on a busy day, you will feel in total control of the situation when you practice mindfulness. You are not caught trying to complete a plethora of tasks because you are fulfilling your job responsibilities one at a time. No time is wasted and you are sure that you are not letting quality take a backseat.