Focus: To multitask, or not to multitask, that is the question.

“Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.” ~~Alexander Graham Bell~~

I’ve noticed a lot of buzz recently around the topic of multitasking. The thought used to be that if you could multitask, you were ahead of the game. The ability to focus on more than one thing at a time was seen as a great quality. If you could actually work on multiple things simultaneously, you were a tremendous asset. It seems ironic to me that the tide seems to be turning.

In this electronic age where it is so copiously possible to do so many things at one time (tweet while watching TV; comment on social media posts while sitting in a classroom; play on your laptop or tablet while doing just about anything; texting while also sitting and socializing with live people…) the buzz now is about focusing on a single task and not multitasking at all. Research is being done, and to some extent it is actually showing that people who work on one thing at a time complete more than the people who multitask. Studies are suggesting that the level of multitasking does matter, but at a certain point it actually becomes counter-productive. I find it ironic, but not surprising. Isn’t over-multi-tasking synonymous with a lack of focus? It seems to me that I should be able to switch gears quickly, be flexible, and be willing to change direction… but that I should focus on one thing at a time and see it through to fruition. I know that like the sun, when I put all my energy towards one thing, I burn through it with ease.

Focus - your opinions, please

“Most of the time multitasking is an illusion. You think you are multitasking, but in reality you're actually wasting time switching from one task to another.” ~~Bosco Tjan~~

True or False?

I loved the responses I got on yesterday’s post! Thank you! It seems most share my views on the importance of preparation. I enjoyed reading about how people prepare; research, writing things down, cleaning (really?) and meditation were a few. I also thought it was interesting to learn about when they feel preparation is necessary, versus when they feel “winging it” or “coming from the heart” was more appropriate.

So, today I ask, “How do you stay focused?” When you have 30 things to do and multitasking in ingrained in us from birth, how do you (or DO you) do one thing at a time? What tools do you find helpful? Do you listen to music, do you meditate? Does yoga or breathing exercise help you? How about “to do” lists; are they enough to keep you on track? When you have so much on your mind that you can’t seem to stop thinking, how do you get to sleep? Any tips or tricks you have to share are most appreciated! Thanks again!