I used to pride myself on my ability to multitask. I had it on my resume and would list it as one of my strengths. For a long time I thought that multitasking was allowing me to get things done more efficiently and effectively. I realize now that while I may have gotten a lot done, it might not have been as good as if I had focused on one task at a time instead of doing many things at the same time.
If I’m honest with myself, I can admit that in the prime of my multitasking days mistakes were made. There weren’t a lot of mistakes, but they happened. I know now that a lot of those mistakes could have been avoided if I had given the work I was doing more of my direct attention instead of giving 5 tasks, 20% of my focus.
I’ve written about my breakup with multitasking before. In 2018, I wrote a blog post titled Multitasking is Overrated. It was back then that I realized the error of my ways and tried to reduce my desire to accomplish a lot through multitasking. Like any habit, it hasn’t been an easy one to break, but I’ve gotten better, especially since I realize the benefit of giving tasks 100 percent of my attention instead of just a fraction.
I’ve been researching an article I’ve been assigned about entry-level sales jobs. It’s been interesting to see how many of the job descriptions talk about the abilty to multitask or being a good multitasker as one of the skills that they’re looking for in their ideal candidate. It made me wonder if there will ever be a point where multitasking isn’t considered a desirable skill.
I understand the notion that when you multitask, you’re making better use of your time because you’re getting more things done. I wonder if I’m the only one who has realized that multitasking doesn’t allow me to do my best work. Maybe I’m the only one that isn’t doing my best work when I multitask, who knows?
If you’re a good multitasker and feel like you’re giving 100 percent to every task you do, I’d love to hear about it in the comments! I’m willing to learn new skills and techniques that can improve my efficiency while maintaining my focus. I haven’t found anything yet, and that’s why I’ve given up on multitasking, but I’m willing to give it another try if I can do it better. ?♥