Would you be miffed with us if we told you that you’re not a multitasker but you’re actually a task switcher? Don’t shoot the messenger! According to business coach, David Crenshaw, the whole concept of multitasking is a myth.
“When most people refer to multitasking, they are really talking about task switching. No matter how they do it, switching rapidly between two things is just not very efficient or effective.”
David Crenshaw
Sure, you can eat your dinner and watch the television at the same time and say you’re multitasking. But the problem is that while it doesn’t matter if you miss your mouth because Joey got the turkey stuck on his head AGAIN, minor errors can have significant consequences when you’re at work.
The science behind your inability to multitask
In 2001, Joshua Rubinstein, Jeffrey Evans, and David Meyer published an article “Executive Control of Cognitive Processes in Task Switching” in the Journal of Experimental Psychology Human Perception & Performance. It presented four experiments they had conducted in which they asked participants to alternate between different tasks as well as doing the same task repeatedly. What they found was that this kind of repeated switching between tasks could reduce a person’s productivity by 40%!
If your dinner party trick is that old chestnut of rubbing your belly and patting your head at the same time, you might think 40% sounds a bit dramatic. But the experiments proved that people require adjustment time to switch between tasks, even if the switch occurs predictably. This is because the brain’s “executive control” function has to go through two stages to make the switch. The first is “goal shifting”, which is you deciding that you are going to do something different, and the second is “rule activation”, which essentially refers to your brain turning off the rules required for one task and turning on the rules for the other task. This happens in seconds, but if you are continually going back and forth between tasks this time quickly adds up, especially if the tasks are complex and therefore require more adjustment time.
However, the problem is not only that this damages your productivity but having to continually juggle tasks requires mental energy. If you start running too low on that then the stress starts to build, and you can guess what comes next – the dreaded burnout!
How to avoid burnout at work
Science proves that trying to do too many things at once is doing more bad than good and, therefore, you are better off focusing on one job at a time. Not only will you perform better at your job, but you’ll be more efficient with your time and you’ll keep burnout at bay. However, there are other ways you can work smarter without running yourself into the ground…
1. Set boundaries at work
Businesses need team players, there is no doubt about that and sometimes this will require you to step outside of what are strictly your responsibilities. However, if you’re continually taking one for the team, so much so that your own health and well-being is being damaged and your productivity in your role is suffering, then something needs to change. In a circumstance such as this, you need to be able to say no. You can’t be everything to everyone so set boundaries and take back control of your workday.
2. Schedule free time to reduce stress
Just like you would a meeting! Burnout is dangerous for your mental health and the best medication for it is time spent not stressing about work. Imagine free time is the pill your doctor has subscribed for you to get better and you have to take it every day. Now take out your calendar and schedule free time, just like you would any work-related activity. Then, when free time o’clock rolls around, do not allow yourself to get swept up in the tide of “Ifs” and “Buts”, but actually take that time to do something for you. It might be a walk in the park, meditation, a workout, throwing the ball for your dog or spending time with family. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it’s not doing work, not stressing about work and it’s not something you feel like you have to do but something you genuinely enjoy doing.
3. Reclaim your passion
Burnout sucks the joy out of everything. It leaves you emotionally and physically drained to the point that trying to be enthusiastic about anything just sounds like more work! But after you’ve set boundaries and scheduled free time in your calendar, the next step is to reclaim your passion. What gets you excited? Is it something creative like painting or playing an instrument? Or perhaps it’s something active, like rock climbing or getting involved in local marathons? Having a passion makes your life richer, it keeps things in perspective and, if you practice it consistently, it is a regular dopamine boost (the happy hormone).
Do you think that these burnout busting techniques are helpful? If you do, make sure to share them in your office newsletter, because you never know who might be struggling to keep their head above the water.
