3 steps to successful multitasking

3 steps to successful multitasking

Although the brain can only focus on one task at a time, a lot can be achieved with proper focus. These three steps will help improve your ability to multitask at work.

Having to complete various tasks at the same time is almost impossible, according to cognitive psychologist and multitasking expert Art Markman. ‘Effective multitasking’, he says, is actually a contradiction in terms, as the brain doesn’t really multitask.

‘What the human brain can do, is what I call time-sharing. It can only actively think about one task at a time. You focus on one task, then another takes its place, similar to the way a timeshare property works,’ he says.

To produce quality work in a busy environment filled with demands and distractions, you need to help your brain handle all that input at once by  following these three steps:

1. Work on related tasks together

When you work on a task, your brain activates all the circuits and neurons related to that task. When you switch to a new task, your brain has to adjust. The shift happens quickly, but takes a toll on your memory, focus and productivity. The more times you switch, the more times you have to keep changing the state of your brain, resulting in time lost.

You can minimise the ‘switching cost’ by grouping related tasks together. The more similar they are, the easier it is for your brain to move fluidly between them.

2. Keep your to-do list visible

Create systems to ensure important tasks or long-term projects don’t slip through the cracks. In a multitask environment, workflow is being driven by the environment, rather than internally. To keep up, remind yourself of what really needs to get done. 

Post your to-do list in a prominent spot and rank it by priority. Colour-code or mark the most important tasks and make sure you set aside enough time to address them.

3. Use downtime to review new information

Multitasking can get in the way of your memory; when you try to focus on many things at once, you interfere with the process of acquiring information. When trying to recall what you learned during a meeting or brainstorm, you’re more likely to draw a blank.

If you have to skim an important document during a busy workday, take time to review it later that day. Reread it while you walk between meetings or commute home and explain it back to yourself to make sure you understand it. This will improve your ability to memorise the data.