Mindfulness over Multitasking

Multitasking may seem like an efficient alternation to reduce workload when dealing with a growing mountain of tasks. Trust me, efficiency couldn’t be farther from multi-tasking.

Multitasking describes the ability to switch between tasks without sacrificing productivity. Some people excel at it, while some others find it incredibly taxing and exhausting. Answering the phone or checking email need not detract from the usefulness multitasking apparently affords. But for the tasks that need intense concentration, multitasking is no less than a curse.

A Stanford University study demonstrated the harmful effects of multitasking on our mental health, drive, and outcome. Researchers at Stanford found that compared to people who like to focus on one task at a time, those who are constantly inundated with many electronic streams performed worse on attention tests, memory tests, and task switching.

Need more evidence to shake your faith in the efficiency of multitasking? Here are a few:

1.????Can impair cognitive function

Reaching goals requires that we first assess the goals, find relevant information and filter out unnecessary distractions. With our focus on multiple things all at once, however, none of these processes are followed thoroughly. Doubt not, it increases the chances of making mistakes, taking impulsive actions and reduces attention span.

2.????Less information recall

Every time you switch between different tasks, the speed and efficiency of completing it gets slower. This is because it takes longer to recall information of each task when left unfinished.

3.????Lowers productivity

Multitasking essentially means dividing attention to several different things at once. This means we take a longer amount of time to process all the available information and take action accordingly to complete them. Multitasking can lower productivity by 40% and reduce output at work.

4.????Increases stress and anxiety

When your brain is not functioning at its optimum level and you’re constantly making mistakes, it is hard to accomplish goals. The increasing workload that this can result in is a cause for a lot of stress and anxiety at work.

Fighting multitasking with mindfulness

Almost a decade ago, when Bill Ford was on the verge of bankruptcy, he wrote in Harvard Business Review, "The practise of mindfulness kept me going during the darkest days." He is just one of the few that mindfulness has helped cope with the anxieties of life.

Mindfulness is the simple practice of staying in the present instead of letting the mind run wild. Overburdening oneself with a lot of work can feel like being pulled in different directions. Instead of focusing on ten different objectives on the to-do list, focusing on completing one at a time can reap better results.?

Here’s how:

Moving forward

Getting stuck up on past failures and embarrassments does no good to anyone. Practicing mindfulness at work can redirect attention from past mistakes to the new opportunity provided to make a change.

Increases attention span

Think of it as a reset button. Practicing mindfulness for a brief period of time can help clear the mind and increase attention span, helping you focus on completing the task at hand.

Reduced procrastination

When you know you have a ton of work to complete, it can be hard to find the motivation to get started. Staying present and working on one task at a time can lift the pressure and panic off your shoulders.

Better control of emotions

Feeling overwhelmed at work can be a bad experience leading to either emotional outbursts or shutdowns. Both of these reactions are far from ideal, but working mindfully can provide a brief amount of relaxation to better cope with stress.

Know where the time went

We spend most of our time at work. Yet, many of us hesitate to say where our day went by despite the 9-11 hours we spent working. It might be surprising but it’s as common an experience as any. Working with a focused mind can help you keep track of how much time you spend on your daily duties and responsibilities, breaks and interactions.

No matter how enjoyable your work may be, moments of stress are bound to crop up. Mindfulness not only helps you stay present but also complete your multiple tasks with just as much focus and commitment as if there was just one. Your priorities are waiting to be rearranged, set them now with mindful action.