Let’s accept it! We are all fascinated with “Multi-tasking”! Shamelessly and Extensively!
We take great pride in asserting ourselves as the ever successful multi-tasker (without numbers to back us!). It’s like there is an aura, a certain unexplained charm about the ability to multi-task.
And in sharp contrast (in my view), “Multi-tasking is mindless flip-flop across tasks or activities of the day. It is a self-deployed marketing gimmick for our lack of focus or rather very short attention timestamp to the tasks in hand.”
It is our inability to concentrate on what is really important and of priority than to be easily distracted by phone calls, water cooler discussions, social media beeps and twitter bytes.
Getting distracted easily directly impacts our focus and interest in the work we were doing. As we shift focus, we tend to then play around with our schedule, our to-do list and end up being less than productive.
The same is true in Project Management.
If you keep shifting between projects or tasks of the same project, your output (read quality and efficiency) is bound to dip.
It is scientifically proven – Human brain can never focus on more than one cognitive act at the same time.
Simply put, multitasking leads to as much as a 40% drop in productivity, increased stress, and a 10% drop in IQ as per a study by Institute of Psychiatry for Hewlett Packard in 2005.
Let us take a quick look at the multitasking perils we must avoid to be
productive at our jobs, efficient in our lives and profitable in our business.
1. Tasks are always “Thrusted” on you (resources)
Does anyone remember why is Toyota held in such high regard? Quality of course but how?
They implemented a pull system instead of a push on their assembly line. By implementing the pull strategy in your project and task execution you respect your team members’ right to manage their own work. It always leads to a significant rise in their confidence and motivation.
The converse is also true. If you keep on pushing tasks on to your resources’ queue you end up overloading them leading to delays and lack of motivation.
2. Loss of precious billable hours
Have you ever asked yourselves - Why do I multi-task?
The answer is “to save time” – always! On the contrary, every time you shuffle between activities you lose precious time to refocus and recap to start from where you left. 15minutes is what it takes to refocus yourself on any given task.
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