Multi-Tasking

I’m Not Great at Multi-Tasking, and That’s Okay

by | Oct 4, 2021

I’m Not Great at Multi-Tasking, and That’s Okay

by | Oct 4, 2021 | Time Management

dpeg Marketing Company's Blog

During the years I worked as a recruiter, I would hear one big request from clients all of the time. They needed someone who was able to multi-task.

But I learned over the years, with scientific research to back up my assumptions, that multi-tasking is not something most people can do. According to researchers at the University of Utah, only 2.5% of Americans can process tasks simultaneously. And it can take 50% longer to accomplish any tasks when trying to switch attention back and forth.

In other words, our brains are not designed to multi-task.

I know I’m not good at it. And when I have too many things bombard me at once, I get overwhelmed quickly. So instead, I’ve focused my efforts on better ways to prioritize. It’s completely okay to say that multi-tasking is not a skill you have. Here’s how prioritizing can be a better time management strategy.

Keep a Calendar

To ensure all my responsibilities are completed on time, I keep a planner on my desk open to the current week. I use (and swear by) the Get it Together with Sarah’s Scribbles calendar. You can use any system that works for you, including online calendars.  

 

Take Time to Refocus 

When too many tasks come at me all at once, the only thing I can do is step back altogether. I need a moment to consider all to-do items and then assign them each a priority. If I don’t and try jumping from one thing to another in the heat of the moment, all work suffers. 

Be Realistic 

I know I can’t be all things to all people. I can’t do everything I want to do in a single day. I try to be realistic about what I can do and manage my clients’ expectations and my own. Being realistic applies to my social life, where it can be easy to say yes to everything. It’s okay to say no. 

Recharge Regularly

We’ve all been recharging a lot over the last two years. It’s easy for things to get overwhelming right now, so taking time for myself is critical. Taking breaks is a proven way to get your brain back on task, whether you take five minutes or a vacation.  

At DPEG Marketing Company, we take the time to learn who you are to understand your voice. We will work together to create a content plan so you can stay hands-off and work on the focus of your business.

Consultations are free. Let’s take an hour to focus on your business.  Contact us.

 

Laura M. LaVoie

Written by Laura M. LaVoie

Director of Storytelling - Laura M. LaVoie is a freelance writer living in Asheville, North Carolina, with Matt, and their Devon Rex cat, Toast. She grew up in Michigan, just outside of Detroit, and went to college in Kalamazoo. In 2003, she and Matt moved to Atlanta, Georgia. After 15 years as a recruiter in the temporary staffing industry, Laura left her job in 2012 to relocate to the mountains of Western North Carolina and write full-time. “I’m an early morning owl.”

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Laura M. LaVoie
Director of Storytelling - Laura M. LaVoie is a freelance writer living in Asheville, North Carolina, with Matt, and their Devon Rex cat, Toast. She grew up in Michigan, just outside of Detroit, and went to college in Kalamazoo. In 2003, she and Matt moved to Atlanta, Georgia. After 15 years as a recruiter in the temporary staffing industry, Laura left her job in 2012 to relocate to the mountains of Western North Carolina and write full-time. “I’m an early morning owl.”

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