If you had to change one thing about your work
habits, what would it be? If you said to
improve your multitasking skills, you may want to reconsider. According to author Garth Sundem in his February 24, 2012, Psychology Today article, “This Is Your Brain on Multitasking,” not many people are good at working on two things at once. In fact, Sundem reports that only 2% of people can perform more than one task at a time effectively. Those among the other 98% who try to work two tasks simultaneously don’t do either one well.
So where does that leave the majority of us? With an opportunity to become better time managers. We may not be able to do many things well at once, but we can learn to be more efficient at the one thing we’re working on.
You can find all sorts of strategies and tips regarding time management in books and online, but we like this one from Meghan Keaney Anderson, VP of Marketing at HubSpot, best. In her April 10, 2013, blog, Anderson recommends giving yourself a block of time to work on or complete a task. Do nothing else, she says, despite how tempting it may be to check email, take a snack break, make a quick phone call, etc. Then, when time is up, stop. Sticking to a schedule will not only motivate you to get each job done, but it will also assure you that you made the most of your time, even if it takes you multiple time blocks to finish.
Even one little change can make a difference in your day and your productivity. Why not give it a try?
No comments:
Post a Comment