Last year I read Seven, by Jacqueline Leo and was intrigued by what she had to say about multi-tasking – the ways that it can re-wire your brain, and how the majority of people of a certain age aren’t even equipped for it in the first place. I also read an article in Scientific American that explained human beings were capable of keeping track of two things at a time only when there is a worthile reason to do so. Anything over that leads to poor decision making, and I suspect that watching my favorite tv show while working on a project, checking e-mail, and being on Twitter are not as worthwhile for my brain to track as I might think.
Being an inveterate multitasker, my brain might be wired for it, but I still have the sneaking suspicion that I would be much better off if I chose a task and focused on it until completion, or at the very least worked on it without distractions until the allotted time I have assigned is up, and it is time for me to move on to something else. In a rare off Twitter discussion with Jen, I mentioned that I thought I had given myself a version of technology induced attention deficit disorder. My concentration and attention span are shot. Jen and I decided to devote a week to testing out unitasking, and in her Sunday Salon post at Devourer of Books entitled “One Thing At A Time”, she laid out her goals for the week. Here is what I am thinking:
- Make Lists My Friends – I love to make lists and I am often guilty of recreating the same list more than once. I am not so good at revisiting my lists and actually checking things off. I might check off a few items and then the list is quickly abandoned. I have also been known to make a list just for the pleasure of feeling accomplished and checking the thing I just did off of it. Crazy! I know. This week I am making lists related to certain projects and will add to, check off and use the same list for each and every time. This scares me, but this week I will do it.
- Hulu Must Go – I heard that they are making it a subscription channel, and I won’t pay for Hulu, so this is just as good a time as any to wean myself off of having a window open with some show playing in the background. If I am going to watch TV or a video, I will commit to taking the time to sit and do just that.
- Assign Time & Find More Time – Time is always an issue and I think it will be less problematic for me if I set aside the time to do specific tasks. The big things on my list to investigate the efficiency of unitasking are my hugest time sucks – Twitter, Google Reader and E-Mail. They will each get their time to shine and after that I have to move on. I also won’t do these things while I am doing something else. If it is urgent and I feel like I might forget to e-mail or tweet about it, then I will write it down on my to-do list so that I can take care of it at the right time.
Rome wasn’t built in a day so I won’t get all crazy and say I will do more. I’m starting out with my focus on the list I have
created above, and I will see if I should give serious though to kicking multitasking to the curb.
How do you feel? Does multitasking work for you?
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I think this is an amazing idea! I hope to be inspired by you and Jen and re-learn to focus on a single important thing at a time.
I had alot of empathy when I read Jen's post. I am a multi-tasker, but I am easily distracted (usually by the computer). I keep asking myself how on earth do I run my life (kids, husband, house, yard, volunteering, meals, cleaning, friends), write posts, visit blogs, and read? There isn't enough time in the day. Something has to change but I'm not sure what and I'm not sure how. I'm not really willing to give anything up. I will anxiously watch you and Jen and hope to be inspired.
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Yeah, I also have technology induced attention deficit disorder. Good luck Nicole!
Good luck Nicole! I'll watch for the results– I have a feeling that trying something similar would be good for me.
So far it is HARD having only three windows at a time open, a couple of times that almost wasn't actually enough to do what I was doing, but I am doing my best. You should be proud of me, though, when I clicked over here I closed another window to keep it to my requisite 3. Now I'm off to allot myself 20 minutes of blog reading with my stop watch in hand. I'm interested to see how much I can get through if I am not distracted by Twitter and email.
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Eeek!!! I can so relate to this issue. I am a famous or some would say infamous multi-tasker. It drives my son nuts because he wants to see me do one thing at a time, like watch a movie with him without jumping up to fold laundry, check email, etc etc. I'll be interested to see where this journey to focus on one thing at a time takes you. Hopefully I will be inspired to do the same (at least once in awhile).
I could use this advice. How often I feel stressed out about making dinner because I can not stand in the kitchen to do it properly. Instead I am also doing laundry, reading, cleaning up the decks and yes, even blogging and I am one to burn dinner and then just be frustrated that I can not do it right.
Thanks for posting this Nicole… off to rollerblade and listen to an audio…."Doh!" (Hard habit to break
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I could use this advice. How often I feel stressed out about making dinner because I can not stand in the kitchen to do it properly. Instead I am also doing laundry, reading, cleaning up the decks and yes, even blogging and I am one to burn dinner and then just be frustrated that I can not do it right.
Thanks for posting this Nicole… off to rollerblade and listen to an audio…."Doh!" (Hard habit to break
My recent post It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
This is a great idea and as I remarked on Devourer of Book's blogpost I might just have to join you unofficially.
Also, I am exacly like you in this: "I love to make lists and I am often guilty of recreating the same list more than once."
Good luck! I am a huge list maker and usually do stick to them.
Good Luck on this project Nicole!! You're not alone in regards to making lists that you know you can cross several things from!! HA! I love doing that!!
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I am a compulsive list maker myself. I'm so bad that I find it distracting if I have too many things crossed off on my to-do list, so I take the time to write a new one.
This sounds like an excellent idea – I think that I could benefit from focusing on just one thing at a time instead of many. Good luck!
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I love lists. I make a to-do list every day and get a thrill crossing things off, so I know exactly what you mean about making a list just to cross off something you already did. Good luck with the uni-tasking! If it works, I may just join you. I think uni-tasking allows you to gain more balance in your life too. You aren't spending three hours online working on blog posts, tweeting, and reading feeds without gaining much headway but rather can shrink the time spent writing and reading because you are more focused. It has worked for me in the past, especially with writing. I can write blog posts/reviews/articles MUCH faster at work without all the distractions than I can at home with TweetDeck open and the TV on. LOL!
Sounds like a great place to start! I am good at multitasking I think when I am well rested – when I am tired it all goes to hell