Multi-Tasking and the Myth of Time Management

Usually, through the course of any discussion on the subject of time management and improving effectiveness, someone will mention multi-tasking as the king of all solutions to becoming a better time manager.

The truth, however, is found in realizing that there is no such thing as time management. There is only self-management in time. We can manage ourselves, our behaviors, our actions and reactions. We cannot manage how many hours are in a day, or whether or not we will actually use every hour every day.

Further, when you stop and think about it, you'll quickly realize that the notion of multi-tasking is not at all about managing the clock, either. It's about managing ourselves. It's about figuring out how we'll get more tasks done all at the same time.

Have you ever tried to do that? Get a lot of tasks done all at the same time, I mean?

Were you any good at it?

Most people, when pressed to be honest and tell the truth, will admit they've tried multi-tasking and failed. They've tried again and again and again. And through it all, they've only become mildly more effective.

They always blame it on their own inadequacies or the demanding nature of their work. They'll say things like, "My work just isn't made for multi-tasking." Or, "I'm just not any good at it."

Very few people will ever admit to being good at multi-tasking.

There was one veteran administrative assistant and office manager who spoke with great confidence as she announced to a room full of seminar attendees that she was quite good at multi-tasking. When pressed by the facilitator to explain how she was so good at multi-tasking she simply said, "I take a look at all the jobs I have and I say, 'This task is a good one for Sally to do. That one is good for Dave to do. And that one will be good for Shaun. I then assign each of them the work and they do those tasks while I do another. See, I'm multi-tasking!"

Well, it's not likely too many people would see that as anything but delegating not multi-tasking, but it certainly does get more work done all at the same time.

But, that doesn't really deal with the issue at hand. Can you really multi-task?

Well, if you're a person who is good at doing a lot of things all at the same time, then what you might be offended or disappointed at this next statement. I'm going to burst the bubble of multi-tasking.

Multi-tasking is a myth. Period.

No, really. It is.

As humans we're not wired for doing more than one or two things at a time. When we try to multi-task, we diminish our effectiveness, increase our stress, and reduce the quality of the outcome on all of the tasks.

There are a few rare individuals who can truly split their attention, their energy, and their focus on more than one thing at a time. If you're one of them, then congratulations! Treasure your rare gift.

But, for almost everyone, the fact of the matter is plain. We only become less effective, more stressed, and perform less capably when we try to do several things all at once.

Unless, of course, you're like Alicia.

You see, Alicia was aanother participant at another seminar where the very topic of discussion was multi-tasking. She was asked, along with everyone else in the room, whether or not she was any good at multi-tasking. Alicia, a young woman who sat proudly in the second row, first seat on the aisle raised her hand confidently.

Alicia was asked about her rare gift and how she did it. "Would you share with us how you do it?" the facilitator queried.

She replied with a smile and a confident tone, "Well, I focus on one thing at a time."

There were some chuckles and some mild laughter among the seminar participants because this didn't sound like multi-tasking at all. But, she had more to say.

"I take a look at all the things I have to do and then I simply schedule and sequence them in the best manner possible. So, I focus on the first task and get it going. Then, I turn to the second and start it. I check back on the first and then start on the third. I might look in on the second task before confirming that the third one is done. Then I'll follow-up on the first one and move on to the fourth one. Basically, though, I'm just focused on one thing at a time as I carefully structure and sequence each of my tasks in the best manner possible!"

Well, there you have it. Her ability to multi-task was really an ability to properly sequence and prioritize her tasks. Then, when it actually came to getting them done, she focused on one thing at a time.

So, if you want to be more effective and think multi-tasking is the answer, think again. It's not about trying to get a lot of things done all at the same time. It's about focusing on one thing at a time after you've done a good job of prioritizing and sequencing the work you have.

And, of course, that's not about managing time. That's truly about managing yourself.