The Importance of Multitasking for a Leader
In today’s hectic workplace, professionals are faced with the challenge of achieving a large number of inevitable tasks accomplished within a limited time frame. If you focus on one task at a time, it could be expressed as low productivity, and most organisations consider this unacceptable. Thus it is important t that every individual learns to perform and accomplish more than one task at a time. In other words, every person should learn to multitask. The concept of multitasking has its own pros and cons. However, if it’s done in the right manner, it can be quite beneficial.
Let’s discuss how you can multitask so that you can achieve more during the day and pave your way towards success.
Preparing a To-Do List
Start by making a list of tasks you need to accomplish during the day. It is preferably better if you write them down in your diary or smartphone note. Research supports that written goals are much better than unwritten ones, as they offer you more clarity and also helps you to focus your attention towards what needs to be achieved within a specified time frame. There are also a plethora of mobile applications at your disposal that can help you maintain a record of how productive you have been during the day.
Once you have a written to do list, you must put it up in a place that is easily visible to you even during a chaotic day at work. By doing so, you can stay focused and on top of your game at work.
Know which Tasks you Need to Accomplish First
Before you pick up a task, you should understand its significance and how it is going to impact your day if you pick it up on priority. When you prioritise your tasks, it helps you to complete the crucial and important activities off your list first. When you do this, it leaves time for you to accomplish the other minor tasks in a less time and also lower levels of focus.
When you pick up an important task, ensure that you tick it off your list, finish it completely, and then move on to the next task. Try to accomplish the task with single-mindedness so that you are at your best physically and mentally while you are working on it. The logic behind this is quite simple. Important tasks demand a higher level of your concentration and focus, and hence they need to be finished while your mind is still fresh. Even if you have something urgent, try to keep it on the backburner and ensure that you visit it once you have accomplished the important task at hand.
Always Remember to Take a Break to Remain on Schedule
When you continue doing the same set of tasks for a longer period, it will exhaust you. Research suggests that the energy levels in a human being drop every 90 minutes. This cycle has a typical pattern. While it may be tempting to continue working, especially since you have a lot to accomplish during the day, try to resist the urge. It will bring down your performance level and impact the other activities that you have planned for. Take a break or get some fresh air. Small breaks help to recharge your energy reserves.
Know how to Deal with Interruptions
Interruptions, while you are at work, are quite common. They could be phone calls from a client or vendor, emails, messages on social networking sites or even other colleagues. The first thing to master is your ability to say no to things that are unimportant or unnecessary. Emails from clients whose work is not as important as the task at hand, or a request to complete tasks when they can be handled by somebody else are common examples.
Deal with time-waster colleagues smartly. There might be colleagues who engage in small talk but they forget to keep it small. In such cases, encourage the interrupter to move straight to the point if a solution can’t be reached.
Simple steps like these can be quite handy in enabling multitasking in the most efficient manner. It is not only crucial for leaders to be able to multitask well but also to do that in a smart, collaborative way.
