Monotasking versus Multitasking…
I came across a post by Miss Chaitra of Pink Pot recently called 25 MUST WATCH TED TALKS FOR CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURS. As some of you know, I’m a fan of TED Talks so I was certainly on board.
Great list, so check it out, but one talk, in particular, caught my eye…
Paolo Cardini: Forget Multitasking, Try Monotasking
I was drawn to this one because monotasking is something I have been working on for a while and not very successfully. I even wrote a guest post about it way back when for My Super Charged Life! *Hint it was so long ago that it’s under my real name 😉 (Read it here: A Case Against Multitasking and What to Do Instead)
I’m convinced monotasking is the way to go, but my crazy brain is not there yet. I need work in this area. Maybe you do too, so let’s see what Mr. Paolo Cardini has to say shall we…
You can also watch on TED Here
Humorous, but the man has a point!
I have become so accustomed to doing so many things at once, exploring Pinterest while watching Netflix while texting anyone?!, that my brain gets bored doing one thing and loses focus. But, I believe we can train ourselves to become monotaskers. And, we should! Multi-tasking is actually a false perception when our brains are really switching between the tasks rapidly and not being as productive as they could be.
According to Inc.com, multi-tasking is killing our brains,
This constant task-switching encourages bad brain habits. When we complete a tiny task (sending an email, answering a text message, posting a tweet), we are hit with a dollop of dopamine, our reward hormone. Our brains love that dopamine, and so we’re encouraged to keep switching between small mini-tasks that give us instant gratification.
This creates a dangerous feedback loop that makes us feel like we’re accomplishing a ton, when we’re really not doing much at all…
Some reasons to stop “multi-tasking:”
- Lowers brain efficiency
- Lowers work quality
- Could be causing brain damage
Some reasons to “mono-task:”
- Gives the brain a break
- Deeper focus
- Greater productivity
After all,
Our best work deserves our full attention. ~99U
Ok, ok…you are convinced. But, how do we start? What helps me is a timer. Set it for short bursts and work on focusing on one task until it goes off. Hey, it’s simple, but it’s a start!
If you can honestly pay attention to something for just 15 minutes, then divide all projects into 15-minute tasks. Do one, then switch over to another. ~Fast Company
I wanna know…Have you tried monotasking? What works for you? Let me know in the comments!
Also, check out: Monotasking Is The New Multitasking via Fast Company
He’s got a point indeed, great article! I am a firm believer of monotasking. many people multitask because there is so much to do, but the reality is that if they would take 1 task at a time and get it done they would accomplish all of them much faster, then getting all of the 90% done 🙂
I agree 100% Natalie!