I was wondering, does your day look as packed as mine?
Pulled in a dozen directions, deadlines and demands, juggling between work and home may require extensive multitasking.
Sometimes I wish I could split into multiple personas like Doctor Strange to deal with each task. Wishful thinking.
Don’t you feel like you’re juggling flaming swords while blindfolded? That’s the reality of modern multitasking.
There’re so many commitments and obligations that if you lose focus for a second, the day can crumble like a house of cards.
Are you spreading yourself too thin to truly succeed?
Is it worth it? Or, rather what’s the cost you’re paying?
Things would feel less stressful if you focused on fewer priorities instead. The concentrated efforts can yield greater results.
Multitasking Becomes The Productivity Trap
People like to wear their multitasking cloak with pride. As if it reflects their importance and efficiency and capability.
Their busyness becomes their identity.
But does it?
Multitasking may feel productive, like you’re doing lots of things simultaneously, but its impact can be counterproductive.
The results are often superficial, with little or no thought involved.
According to productivity expert Cal Newport, the human brain thrives on uninterrupted ‘deep work’, a state that boosts cognitive performance and creates lasting results.
The constant context switching disrupts this flow.
Just have a look at your day. How much are you able to achieve with constant disruptions because of phone calls or scrolling through social media or coffee break?
Compare it with an hour or two of deep work with no disruptions or distractions?
The perfect scenario, right? I know from experience that most of my work gets done post-dinner, when I shut the world out and focus only on my work. No more calls or pings or “I’m hungry!”.
When you’re being pulled in a hundred directions, the power lies in choosing just a few.
Decide. Focus. Deliver. Let your energy flow where it matters most.
Know That Your Time, Energy And Focus Are Not Infinite
What you think you’ve in abundance is actually in limited supply.
The main resources like time, energy and attention are limited currencies (yeah, money too).
To get the optimum out of them requires you to use it prudently.
Every time you say ‘yes’ to something, think of all the things you’ve to say ‘no’ to. Look at it as opportunity cost, to appreciate it’s value better.
Every new assignment or responsibility will lead to your focus getting further diluted, your time getting further consumed, your energy getting further drained.
Do you want to be like a flashlight with diffused light or laser beam with concentrated power?
Try saying yes to rest. Yes to clarity. Yes to fewer priorities.
Choose Fewer Goals. Achieve More.
Your efficiency is not in how many tasks or jobs you can do simultaneously; its instead in how many can you give your best to without burning out.
It begins with learning to say ‘no’.
Whatever the reason for accepting everything coming your way, it can make you appear desperate, carving for attention, low self-worth or even uncertain.
It’ll inevitably lead to burnout, mediocrity, and frustration.
Warren Buffett’s 5/25 rule needs a revisit.
Make a list of 25 goals you want to achieve. Then pick the 5 that matter the most. Focus on them to get the results you want.
Isn’t it obvious that focusing on 5 clear goals leads to better outcomes than juggling 25 at once?
Try it out. Do a quick 10 minute audit of your top distractions. Track how many times you switched tasks in an hour. Include your quick-peek at the phone time also.
Compound Power Of Daily Action.
Small steps, consistent efforts and focused work form the foundation of exponential growth.
You can’t expect a big leap of progress within a few days or weeks.
That kind of growth is unsustainable for a long period of time.
Trust yourself and keep moving forward, eyes fixed on your goal.
Remember that story about Arjuna and the reflection of the fish’s eye? Your focus will ensure that you’re efforts include steps that are in sync with your goals.
Say, you’re learning a new language, you can’t expect to speak like a native from day one. But a little practice every day will get you the results you desire.
Conclusion
It all begins with focus. Once you know what you want the rest falls into place.
Your focused energy leads to breakthroughs, fulfilment, and excellence. Unless you decide what your goal is, it becomes difficult to focus on it.
All your efforts resemble the coloured balls on the snooker table once the cue touches them; scattered, independent and random.
Rather work on a few goals than have a bucket full of wishes and no results. True productivity is doing fewer things with greater impact.
What you focus on flourishes. Where will you choose to shine your energy today?
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