I posted last week about multitasking and got some great responses, a lot along the lines of, 'I caught myself multitasking so much, even when I tried not to, how do I stop?!'
- Become aware of your multitasking habits - the first step is awareness. Maybe you multitask more when you're in a meeting or when you're under the pump and working to a deadline. Start to take notice of when you catch yourself multitasking and then see what you can put in place to avoid it. E.g. if you do it in a meeting, close all tabs, put your phone in focus mode and sit on your hands if you need to.
- Remove distractions - similar to what I mentioned above, become aware of what distracts you, and then remove it. I have my phone set to automatically go onto focus mode during work hours so I don't get any distracting buzzes or pings (I also do it at bedtime so I don't wake up and instantly check my notifications). Our brain notices visual and auditory distractions, so remove them as much as possible. I'm an auditory learner so any noise distractions really impacts my focus. I use headphones with ambient background music or Loop earplugs to dull background noise.
- Control your environment - this goes for physical but also technological. Have a clean workspace and take note of your computer periphery, then remove anything around that may be a distraction. Remove distracting apps such as instagram and Facebook from your homepage so you don't unconsciously press them, and DON'T close your laptop or lock your phone with a distracting app open - ever grabbed your phone to make a call and see instagram open? That's a good 10-minutes gone right there.
- Set a time for distractions - if you know your email is a huge distraction and a big trigger for multitasking, set times throughout the day designated for email, or social media. Knowing we have a time locked in can help us avoid the temptation to do it now.
What else would you add to this list?
Comment below with your thoughts 👇🏼
