Shh... I'm Single - Tasking!
Hello lovely people! I’m currently sat at my desk in my home office and I’m writing this post. My phone is charging in the next room, I’m not listening to music, I don’t have 10 tabs open in my browser and I’m not making grocery lists on the side.. I promise!
So, what about you? Are you just reading this post or are you actually doing 2 more things on the side? Don’t worry, I’m not judging. Come to think of it, in the past 3-4 years, I hardly remember a single time when I was doing just one thing at a time. I mean, who does that anymore, right? We’re all busy, busy, busy! ‘So much to do, such little time’ is pretty much the mantra these days! Same with me, actually, who am I kidding. Right from the time I wake up in the morning, I’m trying to fit in everything in the little time I have!
I’ll give you some examples - I unload the dishwasher while I make my tea, I make breakfast while I drink my tea, I check my emails/messages and video call my parents while I eat my breakfast, I cook and clean the kitchen at the same time (because it’s a pain to first cook, and then clean!). I fold the laundry while I watch TV and at the same time, check Instagram stories of people I don’t even know, and who knows, I’m also planning the Christmas party in my head at the same time! Just yesterday, I was doing random chores like sorting mail/ ordering groceries/ booking appointments while playing with my son, pretending to be a fireman; and my son said to me - but mom, when there’s a fire, you have to put out the fire, you can’t do anything else! Seriously, he says the most basic, but profound things!
These are just a few examples - I’m sure a lot of you probably relate to it and it all seems like normal, everyday stuff. None of these tasks are really complex, difficult tasks, yet I feel completely drained at the end of day. And then I think to myself, wait but I haven’t really done anything out of the ordinary, so why am I so tired? There must be something wrong! I guess what I’m trying to say is, dealing with more than one thing at a time or multitasking has pretty much become the norm and sometimes I don’t even realize that I’m doing it!
Of course, the office situation is no different, right? There are multiple projects to manage, conference calls, meetings, emails, and then you have to fit in your day job somehow in that time as well! How often has it happened that you’re on a conference call, while reviewing a brief on some unrelated topic, and then you remember that you had to make a change in one presentation, so you open it, make that change, send it out, and then someone asks you a question on the conference call, which you skillfully answer.. all in a day’s work, right?
But stop and really think about how we’re able to do this. We have an amazing brain which constantly switches between all these different tasks that we’re trying to do. Picking up where we left off every time. And this comes at a cost - the switching cost. There’s loads of research that shows that excessive multitasking literally drains the energy out of your brain and can lead to mental and physical fatigue, anxiety and stress and in some cases, it can also impact your short term memory.
I grew up thinking that multi-tasking was a super important thing, in fact, essential to succeed, especially in the professional world. ‘Should be able to manage multiple projects within tight deadlines’ is basically part of every job description. I mean, I understand - why do one thing when you can do 2 or 3 right? You get more stuff done, feels very efficient at the time and some people are just naturally gifted in that department (if I may say so myself :D) so how hard can it be?
Today, when I think about it, I feel like multi-tasking is slightly overrated. In fact, I recently discovered that it’s no longer one of the most desired skills these days. Now don’t get me wrong, it is definitely a ‘nice-to-have’ skill and I’m sure it has helped me greatly in my life. But in my opinion, you have to draw the line somewhere, and not make it a way of life. Figure out the tasks that need you to multitask, and for the others, give them the focus that they deserve, and give your brain a break from all the switching! Not only will you be more productive, but also less stressed.
You know sometimes, things happen in your life that force you to re-assess and really think about what you’re doing and how it’s affecting your life. Here are some things that I’ve been thinking about a lot in the past 1-2 weeks -
Why am I so tired/stressed/impatient/restless?
Why do I feel like I’m doing so much, but actually nothing’s getting done?
Where is the time going, and what have I done?
Why do I feel so mentally drained even after the morning school drop off?
So, I thought I should take some action, so I’ve been writing a journal - everything I do in a day and how I feel while doing those things. Am I bored, tired, happy, relaxed, frustrated etc. etc. It’s been such a great exercise for me personally, and I would highly recommend it to everyone! It’s given me really useful insight into what I do, and what I can therefore do better, for my own sanity.
For example, I’ve realized that there’s no pressing need for me to unload the dishwasher every morning like a crazy person while I’m making tea. That is not an area where I should look to multi-task, especially since I’m quite a slow morning person. It just causes unnecessary stress and chaos in the kitchen (because you see, I have to finish unloading while my tea brews so 3-4 minutes max, otherwise the tea gets ruined, and when you’re half asleep, trust me, it is not fun!)
Also, I have realized that I shouldn’t actually do any chores between 5:30 - 7pm, because that’s the time I can really spend with my son and give him all the time and undivided attention that he deserves. So, cooking, cleaning, sorting mail, taking out the trash, emailing, messaging - all this can wait. Because you know what’s as important, if not more, than multi-tasking? Prioritising and focussing on one thing and one thing alone.
Whether you’re at home, or in an office situation, it’s all about finding the right balance between prioritizing and multi-tasking. Both are important, there’s no doubt about it, but there is a time and place for each - and you need to really assess your situation, the task itself and your mental state to figure out what would work better. Sometimes, you’ll find that multi-tasking is the need of the hour - there’s a deadline approaching and there’s lots of pressure to get 2-3 things done. In that case, totally do what you have to do, but multi-tasking for the sake of multi-tasking won’t do you any good, because if you think it’s more efficient or productive - unfortunately, it isn’t. Yes, it may help you ‘look’ more busy, because everyone wants to look busy these days, but it is likely to have a serious impact on your productivity and health.
This little journaling exercise made me realize that I was unnecessarily complicating my life by trying to do too many things at a time. My brain was getting really tired switching between the different tasks I was trying to juggle. No wonder I was so irritable and stressed. I’m not saying it’s the only cause of stress, but it is most definitely a contributing factor.
Today, I’m happy to say that I’m getting better at prioritizing and I’m trying to reduce my multitasking quite significantly. Somehow, I found it easier to prioritise and focus when I was working in an office, but as a full time mum, I feel like it’s taking extra effort on my part. I suppose I sometimes get too consumed with the idea that I need to get it all done!
So my new plan is to ‘single-task’ wherever possible. It’s quite tricky to be completely honest. There are too many distractions in the world, and the mind wanders! I’m having to constantly train my brain to focus and I’m getting there slowly. It’s harder than you think. I’ve had to be really aware and mindful of what I’m doing, because a lot of the time, I’m working on auto-pilot, as I’m sure a lot of you are. So, try and give your brain some much needed rest.. like me, you’ll also feel a bit more relaxed. It’s the little things, right? If you can simplify your life, why not?
So, here it is - I’ve finished writing this entire post in a single sitting - no distractions, just pure focus, and I’ll be honest, this is the first time this has ever happened. I didn’t lose my flow of thought, I didn’t have to re-start because I forgot what I wanted to say mid-way, and most importantly, I enjoyed this process more than I thought I would! I usually take up to a week to get a finished write up, I’m not even kidding! Ok, now I’m really desperate to check my messages and emails! My phone needs me.. so see you next time! :D