Are you a multitasker? If so, and even if you just occasionally try to juggle two or more projects or tasks at the same time, I encourage you to keep reading. We’ve been talking a lot about slow thinking lately. We’ve covered what it is and gone over quite a few of the benefits of this new way of approaching… well, everything in your life. One benefit we haven’t talked about much is that slow thinking encourages you to focus on one project at a time. After all, you can’t do a lot of deep thinking and planning when you’re juggling multiple plates at a time. So, let’s dive a little deeper into the importance of focusing on one project at a time.
Multitasking Makes You More Productive is a Myth
We’ve all done it, worked on multiple things at once and it feels productive, doesn’t it? The problem is that we can’t actually do more than one thing at a time. Instead, what we end up doing when we try to multitask is jump from one task to another and back again. This involves a lot of stopping and starting, which in turn slows you down. Instead, focus on one task at a time and try to bundle like tasks together. You’ll get into the flow and end up accomplishing more in a shorter amount of time.
How Slow Thinking Encourages Focus
Slowing down and making an effort to work on one thing at a time promotes focus. You can give it your full attention. The end result is that you do a better job and you do some more quickly than if you react to what’s being thrown your way. Take charge of your calendar, your schedule, and your to-do list.
Plan what you will work on and take a few minutes to come up with the best strategy. Slow down and you’ll be amazed at how your work and your mindset will improve with a little extra focus.
How to Get More Done by Slowing Down and Chipping Away at One Task at a Time
In the end, it’s about getting more done, isn’t it? There never seems to be time for everything we want or need to get done. The worst thing you can do is to rush in head-first and chip away at your never-ending to-do list willy-nilly. Instead, slow down. Figure out what you should be working on. What’s most urgent and what will have the biggest impact? Make sure you know how to best tackle this task and then focus on that one thing before moving on to the next. Rinse and repeat and see for yourself how much more you can get done if you take the time to slow down.
