Are You Good at Multitasking?

According to an article in today’s Wall Street Journal, only 2.5% of us can multitask efficiently. The rest of us only think we can.  Our brains are wired  for “selective attention” and to do things well we need to focus on one thing at a time.

Rule # 1 for business meeting etiquette is to give your full attention to the presenter.  It is so rude to have your head down and your hands under the conference room table sending a text or a tweet.  It doesn’t matter if it is business related. People are not good at multitasking. Not only is it rude to not pay attention in a meeting but you are going to miss out on the business at hand.   Here are a few tips and benefits to keep you focused.

Benefits of Focusing

More Pleasure

If you are having dinner with your friends or sitting down to dinner with your kids, enjoy the time with them.  Be fully present, taste your food, laugh with your children.

Do Your Best

Choosing to focus on one project at a time is putting your best foot forward.  If you are working on a document, try not to flip back and forth when you hear the bell alerting you that another email has popped into your inbox.

Prioritize Your Time/ Prioritize Your Day

Eliminate multitasking by prioritizing your to do list. The mission here is to refuse distractions. When you are in a meeting, put away your cell phone.  When you are reading, turn off the television.  If you are catching up with a friend by phone, don’t unload the dishwasher or clean out the junk drawer. Listen to her.

Reduce Your Stress 

By focusing on one task at a time you will not be juggling so many acts.  Juggling causes stress.  Multitasking distracts us from the present moment.  Focusing brings many rewards, a job well done and the ability to enjoy the moment.

Improve Your Personal Brand or First Impression

Multitasking can make you look and feel frazzled, disheveled and unorganized. Focusing wins by all counts.

While writing the post, I kept hearing this song over and over in my head.  Enjoy.

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