The Art of Focusing On One Thing: Monotasking

Focus is hard to keep in this 21st century. A sensational history book is rocking the world right now, your favorite series just launches ten more episodes on Netflix, your friend has just started a new podcast series in YouTube, and your co-worker has successfully finished another online course and shared on LinkedIn.

Why not listening to a series of effective time management tips while you are cooking food? Isn’t an online meeting the best time to check your e-mails? How do I do more when we have such little time?

We have been taught that multitasking is an exceptional skill that boomers simply fail.  Along with other millennials, we take pride in texting our friends while we are talking with talking with other family.

We use time better than other people, and therefore we are more superior as we have done so much in a short time period so why are we bragging about it? Don’t get me wrong. Time is so limited, and we are trying to make the most of it. There is nothing wrong about it.

There is a reason why doing more than one thing at a time becomes so cool! Our brain has not been stimulated more than ever in history. We are bombarded daily with many distractions and interruptions with social media notifications, e-mails and breaking news. Everything seems urgent; messages should be answered, photos should be liked, and your e-mails can’t wait. That’s why we lose focus.

Why should we slow down?

First of all, we have to do that! The most distinctive organ that separates us from all intelligence creatures a.k.a brain cannot function properly at this pace.  Although it may seem harmless, multitasking can kill your brain. MIT neuroscientist Earl Miller notes that our brains are “not wired to multitask well… when people think they’re multitasking, they’re actually just switching from one task to another very rapidly. And every time they do, there’s a cognitive cost.”

Also, another research by the American Psychological Association shows switching between tasks reduces productivity by 40%. To put it in other words, regardless of our capability to learn and assimilate a lot of things, we are originally designed to do one thing at a time.

Be present to focus.

Monotasking enables you to be present. When we focus on friends at the dining table, we can use proactive active listening that helps us stay focused and strengthen our relationships. You can be aware of yourself and the situation.

This is mindfulness, in the heart of monotasking. Be there with one thing. Stay calm. Be reflective. When you put your focus on one thing and one thing only, you’ll do a better job. You’ll have more control over your emotions and mental state. You’ll get more done, sooner. 

Watch out for your patterns

There are many possible ways to stay productive when you are holding on to the monotasking. You should practice setting boundaries to decide when to turn off your notifications or check your e-mails. After a few days of observation, you can make sure that if lunchtime is a perfect time to start a new project or check your timelines.

These are a few baby steps to create a healthy pattern:

• Combine related tasks and works. It is much easier to concentrate on similar resources in the same batch.
• Freeze all motor functions meaning, turn off your notifications for a while or use an app to limit the usage.
• Avoid multiple tabs on your browser, it is quick easier to navigate and stay on track.
• Take breaks occasionally to maintain your working mood.
• Check your messages and e-mails at specific times of day so that you can organize your schedule thus your mind easily.

Here is the lesson to learn. Be aware of what you might lose in the pursuit of productivity.  Maybe you should revise your resume and not present multitasking as a working skill from now on.