Multi-tasking is the corporate buzzword de jour. Having the ability to multi-task seems to be a standard requirement for every job. But is it always a wise idea? In this technological age of doing 10 things at once, a lot of people don't recognize when it's time to stop and focus on a single task at hand. The list below provides some helpful tools for recognizing when multi-tasking is appropriate and when you should just say "No".
1. Don't multi-task people.
When you're working and a person enters your office, stop what you're doing and look them in the eye. The same goes for phone calls - turn away from the computer and pay attention to the person. There's nothing more annoying than realizing that someone is doing something else while you're talking to them. Have you ever been speaking with someone over the phone and heard the tap-tap of their keyboard in the background as they grunt, "uh huh...yea... sure"? It makes you feel pretty worthless. It also makes you unsure if they've really heard what you're saying.
It's tempting to believe that while we carry on a conversation we can still perform another task to the best of our ability. Anyone who's ever driven on the same road as someone talking on their cell phone knows that just isn't true. Something is sacrificed in the process - more often than not, both things suffer. You aren't giving your full attention to either the task or the conversation. Don't let your interactions with people - whether professional or personal - suffer because you're doing 5 other things when you should be listening to them. If it isn't a good time, tell them. Ask if you can call them back or meet with them later. If the task can wait, put it down/turn away/pull over and listen.
2. Only multi-task the fluff.
Every morning I blow dry my hair in front of the computer so I can scroll through my favorite blogs. Both tasks are complete fluff - they're mindless. Neither one takes concentration so neither one will suffer from not getting my full attention. This is truly the way to judge if you should be multi-tasking. Go ahead and clean the break room while you're making a zillion copies of that report. You'd have to work pretty hard to mess up.
3. Multi-organize or Multi-mess-up.
If you're going to do more than one thing at a time, no matter how mindless, it's critical that you be organized about it. Keep documents and supplies needed for each task clearly labeled and in separate areas. Getting sloppy can cause major mix ups - pages needed for one project can easily get misfiled and lost for good. At that point, the entire purpose of "multi-tasking" is lost. You haven't saved time, performed more productively or accomplished more with your day. You've just created a new mess to clean up - probably multi-messes.
For more articles like this, check out Defining Your Dream Job and How to Set Limits at Work.
