Do you find yourself struggling to perform multiple tasks on your computer at one time? Perhaps, you want to simultaneously research some information, check your emails, and develop a presentation. In such cases, multitasking can be an excellent approach to boosting your productivity and efficiency. Nonetheless, with some skills and techniques, you can easily overcome the difficulty of multitasking and achieve your goal faster and easier.
Multitasking
Multitasking might be something you think you know how to do pretty well, yet, it requires quite a different mindset and approach. Firstly, the human brain has a limited capacity to process a certain amount of information at one time. In addition, switching between tasks often reduces the amount of time needed to complete it by 40 percent. The term for this issue is "multitasking penalty". However, with certain strategies and techniques, you can easily overcome it and become a master of multitasking.
Overcoming the Multitasking Penalty
People face the problem with multitasking mainly because they try to accomplish several tasks all at once. Nevertheless, focusing on multiple things at one time is quite difficult and requires much effort. To enhance your ability to multitask, focus on one thing at a time and divide everything else into categories.
Prioritizing Tasks
The second step in improving your skills at multitasking lies in prioritizing tasks. When you prioritize your tasks, you can better organize your schedule and concentrate on those tasks, which are really urgent and require your attention now. This way, you will be less likely to become exhausted while performing them.
When dealing with priorities, you should use the Eisenhower Matrix that will help you identify whether particular tasks are worth your attention or you can just eliminate them. According to the matrix, tasks are divided into four categories:
Urgent and important – Do it first;
Important but not urgent – Schedule it;
Urgent but not important – Delegate it;
Not urgent or important – Eliminate it.
Managing Digital Distractions
Social media accounts and websites as well as instant messaging can distract you from doing what is important and necessary. Thus, it becomes crucial to manage all possible sources of digital distractions and prevent them from taking your attention away from work. One of the best ways of dealing with digital distractions is to use special apps for blocking web pages and keeping track of time.
In particular, the Pomodoro Technique is an excellent tool for eliminating distractions and improving your ability to work on several tasks at once. It suggests performing activities for about 25 minutes and then making a five-minute break. Four such cycles should be followed by a longer rest for 15 to 30 minutes.
Using Keyboard Shortcuts
With the development of computer technologies, there appeared a number of ways of increasing productivity by saving time on various operations. Such keyboard shortcuts are especially helpful when you multitask. Pressing Ctrl (Command on Macs), followed by another button, you can instantly perform certain actions.
The following is a list of keyboard shortcuts that will help you save time:
Ctrl + C – Copy;
Ctrl + V – Paste;
Ctrl + Z – Undo;
Ctrl + A – Select all;
Ctrl + S – Save.
Organizing Your Workspace
The last yet equally important aspect of successful multitasking concerns the organization of your workspace. When the room around you becomes messy and untidy, it starts influencing negatively the way you perceive everything around you, slowing your ability to concentrate.
The tools that can help you improve your workspace and keep it neat and tidy include using a task management system or note-taking application. In particular, you may consider using the Getting Things Done methodology that will make it easier for you to break down complicated tasks.
Staying Focused
Finally, the key to mastering multitasking lies in being able to stay focused all the time, even in the most distracting environment. When you have some tasks to complete but emails and chat apps keep distracting you all the time, it is crucial to use certain strategies.
For instance, you may try out using Forest app, which encourages users to work more productively through planting real trees in virtual spaces and preventing them from becoming dead.
Conclusion
As follows from the information above, multitasking is a great opportunity to become much more productive and efficient. If you follow the above-mentioned guidelines and apply various tips and tricks, you will be able to overcome the multitasking penalty and achieve the success you aim at.
