Despite tools to make work and life more efficient, it seems there are still never enough hours in the day to get all of our work done. With the holidays on the very near horizon, these demands are only set to increase. Do you have a game plan? We’d like to suggest one major change to how you work–STOP MULTI-TASKING! According to the latest article from Deborah Mitchell at Entrepreneur, “it turns out that multitasking may actually affect your productivity level, and your health.” According to former pro snowboarder, Chief Program Officer at Yoga Six, and international and TEDx speaker Katie Brauer, “Higher productivity happens when you limit multitasking and stay focused on completing a task at hand. Studies show that multitasking makes you 40 percent less productive and increases stress levels.”
Read the full article here.
Our Founder Eli Carlson, also a mom and athlete, was featured in the story and shares one of her best tips for productivity:
“Pretend you’re on an airplane. There are no distractions on a plane, and there’s a time limit to get something done,” she said. “I sometimes try to simulate this environment in the office by putting my phone on ‘do not disturb’ and going offline. Try it for 60 to 90 minutes and you’ll be amazed at how much work you can get done,” Carlson said, adding that she sees value in shorter deadlines. “Cut calls in half: Do you really need 30 minutes to talk to your colleague or client? Prioritize and get to the point. Try giving yourself half or a third of the time to finish that presentation or story. If you’re not multitasking, you’ll get it done.”
It may seem like a foreign concept at first, but by giving each task your complete focus for set periods of time, you will find yourself being more productive, creative and enjoying the process without feeling the pressure of having to do everything all at once!