Whether we realise it or not, we are all multitaskers. Every day, we are bombarded with a slew of messages vying for our time and attention. We give in to interruptions far too often, resulting in a state I refer to as ‘respond mode.’ When you’re in this state of mind, you respond to every message that comes your way. If you don’t work in customer service, this will have a negative impact on your work. Facebook, email, news apps, and a slew of other communication channels vie for your time and attention. To write an email without being interrupted by a text message from your co-worker or phone call seems to be an impossible task.
We can’t focus on our work if we’re constantly responding to messages. It takes more effort and time to switch tasks every time we get side-tracked. The majority of people’s days are spent juggling multiple projects and tasks. As a result of having so many responsibilities and a limited amount of time, we feel anxious. While trying to finish an important email, imagine getting a text from a friend about a birthday present for another friend. What do you do for a living? In most cases, we leave the email open so we can respond to our friend.
It feels like we’re obligated to respond to everyone. Our point is lost when we go back to the email and read it again. It’s because we’re incapable of multitasking. The more stressed and anxious we are, the better off we will be. Take one step at a time and avoid multitasking if you want to avoid stress at work. We can accomplish more in less time and with better results if we use our brains to their full potential. Write an email first, then respond to a birthday gift from a friend.
Productivity is slashed when costs are shifted.
It happens to the best of us from time to time to feel as if we have accomplished nothing. Interruptions and multitasking drain your energy when you feel like you aren’t being productive. Context switching occurs when you multitask while in a meeting, such as sending an email, texting a friend, and checking Facebook. It takes, on average, 25 minutes after an interruption, according to research by Gloria Mark from the University of California, Irvine. Because we are interrupted numerous times throughout the day, it quickly becomes apparent that you have accomplished nothing.
People who multitask are “suckers for insignificance,” according to Stanford University sociology professor Clifford Nass, who has studied the effects of multitasking. We multitask as a result of the addictive nature of notifications, which keep us from focusing on one task at a time. It is impossible for us to control ourselves – we must check the notification to see who or what is requesting our attention. We feel a rush of dopamine every time a notification appears on our screen.
Dopamine is a happy chemical in the body that regulates the brain’s “pleasure” systems and makes you happy. Dopamine is addictive, and it drives us to engage in activities that increase our levels of the neurotransmitter. It’s up to you whether you’d rather focus on food, sexual activity, or the notifications that pop up on your phone. The rush of dopamine can be exhilarating, but it also wears us out. Your exhaustion despite not accomplishing anything all day is because of this. This is a dangerous trend, and we need to break it.
Fix for multitasking: Disable notification alerts
It’s difficult to alter your habits overnight. Distractions from your smartphone are all too common. Let’s get back to your phone now. Start by following these two productivity tips if you want to be more productive:
- Turn off your smartphone’s notifications.
Distractions will be eliminated because of this. Starting with your news apps, you can turn off push notifications. Then send an email as a follow-up. In the end, if you really want to avoid distractions, you should turn off all of your notifications. You don’t have to be a slave to your phone.
- Delete Facebook from your mobile device.
Procrastination and Facebook go hand in hand. My phone hasn’t had Facebook on it in over a year. My brother advised me to remove Facebook from my device because I was “wasting hours on Facebook.” He had a point. Get rid of it and you’ll be amazed at how much more free time you’ll find in the next few minutes. While these productivity hacks won’t increase your output by a factor of two or three, they will give you more peace of mind so that you can concentrate on what really matters: living your life.
