Taming the Multitask Dilemma - 3 Ways to Improve Life and Work

Click stars to vote (left is low, right is high)

(3 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

 Loading ...

[?]
 Print This

By Liz Reyer

RISMEDIA, May 17, 2008-(MCT)-Question: Lately people are telling me that I multitask too much. Even my kids are complaining! I don’t know any other way to get everything done, and I’m afraid I’ll miss something important. Any suggestions?

Answer: If you try to do three things at once, you’re really only doing one, and probably not as well as if you focused. Learning to prioritize, delegate and set boundaries can help you be more productive with less stress.

To cut back on multitasking, the change needs to be your idea, not someone else’s. Explore the reasons you want to multitask less, and think about the effects it has on people around you, especially your children. Try to experience their feelings by recalling how you feel when, for example, someone multitasks by checking e-mail while you’re conversing. Then look at how multitasking affects you. How does the ongoing pressure affect your health, sleep and general attitude?

Once motivated to change, consider why you multitask. Perhaps you’re afraid that you’ll miss the breakthrough call of your career or that not getting your voicemail at 7 p.m. will alienate clients. How realistic is that? Some people keep up the pressure because they feel inadequate. Others thrive on feeling needed. Explore your reasons for packing so much into each moment.

Finally, look at how you’d like to be. Maybe you like being busy, but without being frenetic. Maybe you like feeling connected to people without distractions. Close your eyes and picture it, remember when you’ve felt it, and let it drive your vision.

Three steps will help you change your behavior: prioritizing, delegating and setting boundaries.

- If you’re multitasking because you have too much to do, try prioritizing. Develop some categories that make sense for you, or try these: Do by myself now, do by myself later, someone else can do, and not needed. Be honest; many things are done “just because.” Let them go. If your boss gives you too many “No. 1″ priorities, ask for clarification.
- Reduce the strain by delegating. Find people around you who can help. Some tasks that are a burden for you may be growth opportunities for others. Or, they may be part of someone else’s job. Everyone should be contributing, so don’t enable someone to shift work to you.
- Setting boundaries will make a big difference. You may need to limit your accessibility so you can focus. Some tactics? Manage your dependence on your BlackBerry or cell phones (the bane of multitask addicts everywhere). They’re great tools, but don’t let them rule your life. Give yourself work hours, so that you aren’t working at your kids’ events and being with them in body only. Set expectations with your clients and co-workers. They’ll respect you for it, and it may help them let go, too. And e-mail? Check it regularly but not compulsively.

In a society that glorifies multitasking and puts increasing pressure on people, it’s hard to step back to a more focused way of being. However, doing so will give you better professional results and a happier, healthier life.

© 2008, Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: realestatemagazinefeedback@rismedia.com.
 

Discussion Forum

Topic	Posts	Last Poster
Get payed to bring us Mortgage Notes	2	qploans
Real Estate...Breaking marriage (news)	2	ozone
Buying and selling "Green Homes"	1	bjohnpetrocelli
Real Estate in India | Plots in Delhi | Real Estate Investment in Delhi	3	weasy6
Referrals	1	Tears
PostcardsPLUS.com Launches Short Sale Postcard Series	1	ProspectsPLUS
Life Outside of Real Estate	16	melindaflynn
NEED AGENTS / & REFERRALS	68	DeeJ
MLS exposure without paying the commissions!!	11	DeeJ
Lou Pearlman's Mansion For Sale	1	GlobalRealEstate

Be a Part of History - Join the Movement to Restore Consumer Confidence

Industry leaders to focus on how to turn the real estate market around at RISMedia’s Power Broker Forum next month
RISMEDIA, Oct. 10, 2008-Industry leaders will take the stage next month to offer real solutions to turning real estate consumer confidence around. Don’t miss RISMedia’s “The Power Broker Perspective: Restoring Real Estate Confidence,” being held Friday, […]