Master the Secrets of Successful Multitasking
Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out if they’ve got a second. Give your dreams all you’ve got and you’ll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you.
—William James
Sheila ran into the house and grabbed the ringing phone. “Oh, Sharon, I’m so glad it’s you. I wanted to know when I’m supposed to deliver dinner to Mary and her family. Was it tonight or tomorrow night? . . . Tonight? OK, I think I can pull together a salad, some frozen pot pies, and fresh bread before I need to be there. Have you seen her new baby?”
Sheila continued to listen while she unloaded her groceries and shushed her kids. They followed her into the house and asked for a snack. She put a couple of Pop-Tarts into the toaster and motioned for them to put their things away—all while repeating “Uh-huh” into the phone with Sharon still on the other end. Sheila opened the freezer, pulled out the frozen pot pies, and slid them into the oven.
“Sure, Sharon, dinner tonight is no problem. At 5:30 I have to drop off Jenny at ballet close to Mary’s, so it will work. As a matter of fact, I just put the pot pies in the oven, and they will be ready in an hour.” Sheila served the kids their Pop Tarts and hung up the phone.
Oh, the joys of multitasking!
What’s the Secret of Successful Multitasking?
Some days you group chores together with the ease of an office manager. You’re in control, your mind is clear, and every activity falls into place just as you planned. Other days you might feel like a misfit! Nothing works. The faster you go, the less you accomplish. Too many unexpected interruptions can be your undoing. At that point, you may wonder if multitasking is such a good idea.
The secret of multitasking comes down to two words: comfortable momentum. For some people this might mean operating at high speed with six activities going on at once––while doing two things at the same time is a stretch for others. It’s all about you and your style. There are ways to determine what is best for you. Let’s move from basic to complex multitasking skills.
Doing Parallel Tasks to Get Things Done
Simple multitasking begins with two tasks going on at once. Examples:
Watch TV after dinner and clean the kitchen during commercials.
Pay bills while your kids do homework at the same table.
Talk on your cordless phone and dust the living room.
Water plants while dinner is cooking.
Jot down menu ideas for the coming week while unloading the dishwasher.
If you time them right, the parallel tasks should be finished at the same time. Usually one is the main focus and the other is a side job that can be completed during the same time frame.
Sequencing Longest to Shortest Tasks
A second kind of multitasking is “sequencing.” Start with the longest task first and then place the next logical steps right after it. You probably have been doing some of these already, but use these to jump-start other ideas you can implement.
Start a meal with the item that needs the longest time to cook, such as lasagna in the oven. Add the stovetop vegetable next and a fresh salad last.
Start the laundry first thing in the morning. Dry mop the tile or vinyl floors. Dust wood furniture with a feather duster. Switch wash to dryer. Put away paper clutter. Wipe down kitchen and bathroom countertops. Fold clean laundry.
Drive to the store farthest from home first. On the way back, stop at the shops closer to home.
These scenarios work well for you if you complete the sequence with all the tools put away and the area cleaned up. If you start tasks but don’t clean up, you probably are engaging in too much activity. Don’t start more than you can complete and clean up.
Multitasking the Mundane
A third kind of multitasking passes the time while you accomplish two things at once.
Put in a load of laundry, and in the half hour it is washing, clean out one or two dresser drawers.
Iron while watching a favorite TV show.
Read a magazine or newspaper while walking on the treadmill or riding the stationary bike.
Set the table for the next meal as you empty the dishwasher.
Multitasking Through Delegation
A fourth kind of multitasking works well when you learn to let go of doing everything yourself. It invites other people in your family to step up to the plate and be responsible.
Turn over lawn mowing and hedge trimming to your spouse or older child.
Entrust the care of household pets to one or two responsible children.
Invite a friend to help you bake holiday cookies.
Have the kids decorate them while you address Christmas cards.
Assign one or two rooms to each family member to dust or vacuum every week.
Delegate family picture development online to one of your teens.
Pick up the photos on the way home from work the next day.
Work-Related Multitasking
The fifth kind of multitasking helps you keep a balanced life between work and home. For example, you could do any of the following:
Put a chicken or roast and vegetables in the Crock-Pot in the morning and come home to the aroma of a well-planned dinner.
Choose a new CD or book on tape to listen to as you drive to work or run errands.
Gather mail, dry cleaning, prescription refill slips, items to recycle, and papers to copy or fax the night before, and handle them the next day.
After work, call home to have someone start dinner and/or set the table.
Beware of the Pitfalls of Multitasking
When you overdo multitasking, you cross the line from organized to over-whelmed. Beware! That is much too much, and you should backtrack until you complete each task.
Generally, one to three tasks are all that we are equipped to handle with ease. For example, if you start your morning by washing a load of clothes, reading the paper, preparing breakfast, calling a babysitter, and packing your kids’ lunches while signing their permission slips, you are multitasking yourself into a chaotic morning. Something has to give, and usually it’s you or your family harmony. Recognize when you’ve reached your limit. Stop right then and bring closure to several tasks.
The Many Benefits of Multitasking
When you multitask appropriately, you regain control of your time by completing the tasks that are a part of your daily life––and add some bonus activities such as listening to CDs as you drive or talking with friends while you wash dishes. You stay up to date by accomplishing your daily goals in a timely way. Instead of wasting time, you multiply it by doing two or more things at once. The reward of multitasking is the time and energy you have for fun and relaxation. You’ve earned it, and now you have time to enjoy it.
Practice multitasking skills that fit into your lifestyle, priorities, and energy level. Decide what your comfortable momentum is and enjoy the adrenaline flow of doing two things at once. Then reward yourself by doing something you enjoy with the time saved!
It’s Your Time
Master the Secrets of Successful Multitasking (Time Skill #4)
□ Note your personal reference point where successful multitasking turns into stress. Avoid it!
□ Write down two or more actions you took simultaneously today.
□ Estimate the time you saved and how you benefited.
Energy and persistence conquer all things.
—Benjamin Franklin