De-Compress Your Stress
I admit it. I'm a habitual multi-tasker. Rarely do I work on one thing at a time. Even as I'm writing this article I have a cell phone nearby waiting for an important call, and I have a notepad at the ready for the jotting down notes of things I need to do or ideas I have about my business. You'd think I could focus for a short time and successfully funnel my thoughts and energy on the task at hand. I mean writing an article is the kind of thing that takes a bit of concentration, right?
But here I sit, multi-tasking. Is this really the best way for me to approach my work? Well, this talent certainly serves me well at times, but I know myself well enough to understand that oftentimes this results in me feeling scattered and stressed.
Recently I did an experiment. I decided that for the afternoon I was going to make a really big effort to do one thing at a time - despite my natural tendency to multi-task. So I sat down at my desk and attacked the pile of papers, projects and phone messages - one thing at a time. Now this may not sound like a big deal to many of you - but I know there are tons of people out there who, like me, are chronic multi-taskers. So returning a phone call without replying to an email while I'm waiting for the person to answer the call, is a BIG deal. This is virtually unheard of in my world. I strive to maximize my time and get the most productivity out of an hour that I possibly can.
But this day was different for me. Not only in terms of how I was working, but how I was feeling too. As the afternoon progressed, I started to notice a difference in my breathing. It actually seemed pretty relaxed. Was it possible that I was less stressed than normal? Just from reducing my multi-tasking?
At the end of the day, I assessed how my experiment worked. I certainly got a lot done that day - maybe even as much as I normally do. And I felt a lot calmer and satisfied with my work at the end of that day. My focus allowed me to fully experience the things I was working on. And I liked it!
So here I sit - still an addict. But I'm working on it. I hope you multi-taskers out there will try this experiment yourself and take note of your impressions. You may be surprised to find that focusing on one thing at a time can be downright relaxing! And you might find that you get just as much done and the quality of your work may improve too. Imagine that!
Molly Luffy, MBA, owner of Work Ethic Wizard is dedicated to helping managers regain their sanity and employees survive and thrive in today's workplace. She is the publisher of "Words of Workplace Wiz-dom" a free bi-weekly ezine offering articles and advice for surviving and thriving in today's organizations. To subscribe, visit her site at: Work Ethic Wizard
