How Can I Cut Down on the Multi-tasking?

As appeared in the Baltimore Business Journal - May 23, 2008
by Leslie Shreve

Question:
I'm jumping from one thing to another all day long. I thought I was a good at multi-tasking, but now I'm having trouble getting anything completed. What can I do?

Answer:
The average office environment pelts us with dozens of things at once, but our brains can only focus on one thing at a time in order to do it well. So multi-tasking is not recommended. Solid, quick decision making skills and focus are required. It's best to take note of the action or follow up that interrupts your thinking and stick with your current task. However, if you compare the new task with the current one and find that the new one is more of a priority, then document the next step of the task in progress on a task list with a next action date. Then you can focus on your new priority without losing track of the prior one.