The Multitasking Myth – You are not as good as you think

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There are so many things that are on the to-do list for your business. From social media posts to recording and scheduling videos. There is no way you could get all of these things done without multitasking right?

These are just a few of the many tasks that fill your work calendar.

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But let’s not forget the many tasks that are required of you in your day to day life. Laundry, dinner, cleaning, little ones calling for your attention. We’ve all got them…

As women, we do a lot. It feels like we have to be strategic with our time. Some are great at doing more than one thing at a time and some… not so much.

We multitask in the name of productivity but I am willing to be you are not doing as well as you think.

So Why Not?

You might be thinking “But I am a great multi-tasker.!” Read some of these facts then think about that again.

• Multitasking reduces productivity up to 40%!!!
• Multitasking leads to depression and anxiety.
• Increases errors by 50% and reduces your IQ by 15 points which is three times the amount of smoking marihuana.

Ouch! That last one convinced me when I heard it.

When you are multitasking you are really just quickly switching from task to task in your mind. You are not actually doing two things at once even if it might feel like it.

Think about it. If you are writing a comment on a Facebook post and there is a business podcast you are listening to on your phone. Are you ACTUALLY comprehending what is being said in the show? Sure your ears are taking in the sound but did you take to heart what was being said? Probably not.

When NOT To Multitask

Before I jump into the how and when you can multitask I want to drop a line or two on when NOT to multitask.

While it can be a good thing there are times when we need to set multitasking aside and focus on one job at a time because we will get done so much faster. If you can churn it out rather than having a ton of distractions. Give things like writing blog posts or scheduling emails to your list your full attention.

You will get done much faster.

Multitasking In The Day To Day

Ok here is your permission friend.

There are several ways you can multitask. But in the right timing.

Us it to keep your home running while you’re busy with other tasks. Before I sit down to start working there are three things I do beforehand. The laundry is started first thing, the dishwasher is running if it is more then half full. And the food for dinner laid out so I don’t have to think about it when the time comes.

All of these things take time but can be running while you are busy working.

Read more about how to plan your day to get more done.

Intentional Multitasking

I don’t know about you but just because I am up early does not mean my brain is functioning to the level it needs to be in order to write content for my business. I take this time to get the tasks done that don’t take cognitive thinking to get done.

While I am sitting and enjoying my coffee I take that time to pin the new blog posts to Pinterest that went live that day. I also take that time to engage on social.

Remember if you want people to engage with you, you will get more traction if you return the favor.

If there are things that take a long time to upload like videos, start the uploading processes while you make dinner, fold laundry, or mow the grass. It is things like that where we can be working on our business while running our home at the same time. We just have to be looking for those opportunities.

Keep Your Eyes Open

Multitasking is something that you have to start training your mind to see the little opportunities when they show up. If you are using the microwave, even for 30 seconds, don’t stand there waiting for it to be done. Take those few seconds to unload part of the dishwasher or switch the laundry while your food or coffee is warming up for the 3rd time.

Do SOMETHING with that time.

Most if not all Instagram schedulers have a phone app. Write a few Instagram posts while you are cooking dinner.

You might be surprised how quickly you can get things done if you maximize the time you have.

Make A Short List

This is a list of things that you can do in 5 minutes or less. You can type it out in the notes section of your phone or have an easy to find card in Trello with a checklist.

Things like:

• Answering comments on any of your social platforms
• Engaging on your follower’s accounts.
• Responding to emails that would only require a short response.

These are all things you can do in just a short amount of time.

Have template text responses to commonly asked questions, links to blog posts you refer people to often, and your social links in a place where you can grab them quickly. Places like Trello or Evernote are great options because they both have phone apps and you can access them on desktop as well. Making it easier to make changes and grab when you are writing on your desk top.

Multitask when you can and focus hard when you can’t. Keep your eyes open to find the short spaces of time when you can get something done. But most importantly, be present with your loved ones when it matters most.

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