Founder of The Good Place, Ray Good reveals how this time trap is costing you a day a week in lost productivity – and explains what you can do to claw it back
Do you always have a dozen tabs open on your computer at once? Is your day spent jumping back and forth between the many tasks on your to-do list? (Well, of course it is because you’re an EA)! Do you feel like you’re constantly busy but never getting anything done? Do you struggle to just watch TV without also scrolling on your phone or tapping away on your laptop? If so, it sounds like you’re a victim of the multi-tasking trap.
You probably think that when you have a million things to do, multitasking/working on several things at the same time increases your productivity. You’re getting more done in less time, right? Wrong! Research has shown the human brain is not actually designed for this complex multitasking. So, it’s actually taking a toll on our productivity, cognitive function and mental health.
Picture your brain as a superhero and remember that even superheroes have their kryptonite. Our brain’s kryptonite is the inability to focus on two complex tasks at once. What we often perceive as multitasking is actually our brain frantically flipping between tasks – referred to as ‘attention switching’. And it’s not exactly efficient.
The cost of multitasking
Efficiency takes a hit
Contrary to popular belief, multitasking actually makes us slower, not faster. Research has shown that multitasking actually results in a staggering 40% reduction in productivity! This is because each time we switch tasks, our brain has to cough up some mental energy for the transition. This switching cost eats away at time and brainpower.
So, where does all that time go? Well, it’s like a magic trick, but not the fun kind. When we switch between tasks, our brain literally goes offline for a split second – it’s known as the attentional blink. Imagine your brain taking a mini-vacation every time you switch tasks… Not the best strategy for getting things done.
Now, picture this. You’re knee-deep in a complex task and quickly jump over to check an email or a text. Seems harmless? Think again! On average, it takes a whopping 64 seconds to get your full attention back on your previous task. And if you’re working on something super-intricate and get side-tracked, it can take up to a mind-boggling 20 minutes to get back to your previous level of focus and flow.
Back to that 64 seconds… If you get distracted every five minutes (which is actually generous because the average person gets distracted every 40 seconds) you waste twelve minutes an hour, which in a forty-hour week adds up to eight and a half hours lost! Yep, multitasking is costing you an entire day per week in lost productivity. In fact, I’ve helped companies transition down to a four-day work-week simply through embracing mindfulness practices to help reduce multitasking, and improve focus and productivity. What could you do with an extra day a week?!
Quality gets a downgrade
When we go all-in on a single task, it gets the VIP treatment – full attention, maximum brainpower and primo effort. But when we divide our focus, we tend to do a subpar job of both tasks.
Stress levels go through the roof
The constant mental gymnastics between tasks can leave you feeling like you’re on a never-ending rollercoaster ride – exciting at first, but soon you’re screaming to get off.
Creativity takes a dive
Creativity loves a calm, focused mind. But multitasking? It’s like trying to hold a deep philosophical debate at a rock concert – not conducive to great ideas. When our attention is constantly shifting, our creative genius is on standby.
Brainpower plummets
Research has shown that high media multitaskers (you know, people who watch TV while scrolling or texting) have less brain density in a crucial area called the Anterior Cingulate Cortex. This part of the brain is like the control centre for attention, decision-making, empathy and a whole bunch of other cognitive and emotional superpowers.
Introducing your secret weapon against multitasking
In today’s fast-paced digital world, conditions are rife for multitasking. Your attention is like gold; a precious resource constantly under siege from a barrage of emails, texts, instant messages and notifications. Your ability to maintain focus on a single task for an extended period is akin to wielding a superpower that can revolutionise how you navigate every aspect of your life.
Enter mindfulness or awareness and attention training. It’s not just a relaxation technique; it’s a skill that can be honed to give you a competitive edge in this attention-driven world. Just like a muscle, your ability to focus and concentrate on one thing at a time can be developed through mindfulness practice.
Mindfulness training acts as a mental leash, gently guiding your thoughts back to the task at hand. Through practices like meditation and mindfulness exercises, you learn to recognise distractions and bring your focus back to the present moment; to the task at hand. This mental discipline is your secret weapon against the constant urge to multitask and the key to the biggest productivity hack no-one is talking about – uni-tasking. When we focus our mental energy on just one task our productivity, performance and mental wellbeing soar.
Mindful uni-tasking also helps us tap into flow-state; a state of deep, immersive focus where time seems to fly b, and you’re completely focused and engaged in the moment. It’s when we’re at our most productive. In fact, a 10-year study from management company McKinsey found executives that could access flow were 500% more productive. The catch? Achieving flow requires giving your full attention to a single task.
The takeaway
As EAs you’re expected to juggle multiple tasks at any given time, wearing many hats and putting out fires as they arise. But if you want to get on top of things and avoid burnout, you need to be ruthless with how you manage your time and limit distraction.
Multitasking can give you a (false) sense of efficiency but it’s actually killing your productivity and leading to more stress and overwhelm. Instead, be a uni-tasking time-master – and enjoy that extra day a week!
Let’s give multitasking the flick
Here are some of Ray’s top tips to help you work more mindfully and avoid the multitasking time-trap:
- Prioritise your to do list: Start your day by making a to do list. Then prioritise your tasks – focus on the most important ones first.
- Uni-tasking FTW: Make a pact with yourself to uni-task whenever possible. Deep dive into one task at a time and you’ll find it’s more effective and less stressful in the long-run. Try productivity hacks like the Pomodoro technique. Here, you set a timer for 25 or 50 minutes and work, undistracted, on one task until the timer goes off. Then get up and take a five or 10-minute break. Repeat this four times and then reward yourself with a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes. Watch your productivity go through the roof!
- Remove digital distractions: Turn off notifications or set devices (computers, phones, watches) to flight-mode because nothing kills focus like the ping of an incoming alert. Set specific times to check emails and social media, and consider app or browser blockers to keep those time-sucking websites at bay during work hours.
- Mini mindful breaks: Schedule short mindful breaks throughout the day. Use them to practice quick mindfulness techniques, like breathing exercises or micro-meditations to recharge your brain for more focused work.
- Zen workspace: Optimise your environment for success.Work in a space where you won’t be distracted and considering noise-cancelling earphones or some ambient music to help you focus. Incense optional!
Ray Good is a peak performance mindfulness expert, executive coach and keynote speaker. As the founder of The GoodPlace, he has been relied on by many of Australia’s biggest organisations to help them fight stress, think better and perform at their best.
