If you’re reading this, perhaps you’re looking for ways to become more efficient, to work smarter, and to better manage your time. If any of these goals apply to you, improving your time-management skills is possible if you get intentional with how you utilize your time. Consider some of the busiest people you know — the ones who have a frantic energy about them, seem a bit disorganized, and rush around in a state of stress and exhaustion. It’s not necessarily true that these people have more work than your more put-together acquaintances. In fact, it’s more likely that they simply don’t have the time-management skills to efficiently tackle their to-do list. Chances are, these people rely on multitasking to get through their days. Whether you’re an on-the-go parent trying to meet endless demands or a busy professional wanting to grow your business, multitasking can be a tempting strategy to accomplish all that you need to; but is it actually helping you cross items off your list, or is it slowing your progress and creating more work? Read on for some insights on how multitasking affects your ability to effectively manage your time.

 

Multitasking or task switching?

Distinguishing between the two is key. True multitasking means you’re effectively working on multiple tasks at once. Task switching, as the name implies, means you’re jumping between tasks hoping to finish them all. It probably comes as no surprise that task switching is attributed to lower productivity levels and lower-quality work. When you catch yourself combining tasks, ask yourself if you’re multitasking or task switching. If you find you’re unable to actively work on the activities at hand at the same time, choose one to complete before picking up the others. When we confuse task switching for multitasking and utilize it as a strategy to manage our time, we reduce our efficiency and drag out tasks that could be completed faster individually.

 

What do the activities require?

If the tasks at hand are more complex, cognitive tasks, chances are that combining them isn’t effective. If they require different skills, however, it might be possible to save yourself some time and tackle both at once. For example, daily exercise is a great activity to prioritize, and it requires much more physical attention than mental. That leaves you with some cognitive energy to spare. Listening to an audiobook or podcast while on a walk or run is a great way to fit in your exercise and some additional learning in a single block of time. When you want to effectively multitask, look for tasks that require different things. Your morning commute, if on public transportation, could be a great time to organize your schedule or read a book. If you find yourself on a lengthy hold during your workday, tidying up your desk area or catching up on emails can help you utilize that time.

 

Are you being intentional?

Look for tasks that may work well with multitasking so that you know ahead of time which ones to combine. Pack a book for your morning commute, download a podcast when you know need to tidy up your office, and have an audiobook ready for a trip to the gym. When you prepare to work on multiple things at once, you make sure that you’re combing things that work well together. It also helps you avoid slipping into multitasking when you’re working on things that should get your full attention. When multitasking becomes a habit, it’s too easy to employ it when single-tasking would be more effective. Don’t let multitasking be your fall-back. Evidence shows that with more complex tasks, it’s simply not effective. Instead of it being your default, take control of when and how you utilize this tactic so that it supports efficiency.

 

Are you prepared?

Another great way to make multitasking work for you is to look at your day in very small increments of time and identify where time may be wasted. If you have a meeting with a client at a local cafe, there’s a chance they may run late. If you’ve blocked off an hour to meet with your manager, there’s a chance you’ll be out in 45 minutes. Whatever the case, when you’re prepared to seize these blocks of time and utilize them, you can maximize your time. The key is preparation. Even though these instances may be unexpected, if you’re prepared to fill them, you won’t waste valuable time waiting around.

 

 

Like most things, the effectiveness of multitasking isn’t black and white. Understanding when it’s useful and when it’s detrimental all comes down to when and how you use it. While multitasking tends to get a bad rap in general, if you’re intentional about this strategy, it can be a beneficial tool. If you’re looking to improve your time-management skills, first check in with how you multitask now. If it’s a go-to habit, it may be time to bring in some other strategies instead. If you’re avoiding it like the plague, you may be missing opportunities to increase efficiency. Though not a constant friend or enemy, when you find the balance, occasional intentional multitasking can be a great time-management acquaintance.