Stop multi-tasking. Now.

For far too long, the ‘art’ of multi-tasking has been considered an enviable skill to master, and women, particularly credited with being naturals at it. The more tasks you can juggle, the better. The more items you can simultaneously clear off your list, the smarter.

I’ve paused to consider the real efficiency of the multi-tasker; and admittedly, I always thought of myself as one. A few months ago, as I sat at my desk, with a dozen files and as many browser tabs open on my laptop, it struck me to take stock of just how much I had accomplished despite being exceedingly busy.

I’d come to work bright and early, had my to-do list next to me - items broken down into tasks and sub-tasks, and a miniaturized version of that larger list comprising activities to be completed that day. As the day wore on, I realized that I’d spent a good portion of my working hours, on low-value, routine tasks and a longer-term project lay untouched, awaiting that elusive hour of uncluttered time. Lumbering on, I had responded to several seemingly urgent e-mails, distracted by every plunk signaling the arrival of yet another one in my inbox (some of them forwards), even diverted to a news maze by clicking on links with more links embedded within.

So, how does one stay productive by deliberately keeping blinkers on, and avoiding the mindless lure of the modern information glut? Can one treat a work day as bands of time dedicated to consciously chosen activities, instead of a seamless day where tasks are handled as they come, and all at once?

For starters, I’m finding the oft-repeated ‘eat that frog’ exhortation to be reliable and practical counsel. Most of us, most of the times, have a tendency to procrastinate, and put off unpleasant, arduous or difficult tasks – whether it’s an uncomfortable conversation with a co-worker, a project that requires skills that may not be a strength, or preparing for a presentation you may not be looking forward to. But tackling that mountain early on, can give one a boost to act on the relative molehills lying ahead.  It also works as a confidence-building measure being accompanied by a sense of accomplishment.

Second, no matter how busy a work-day is, I believe in apportioning time for the higher-value, longer-term, and skill-developing activities. It’s easy to breeze through 9 hours in a relentless execution of mundane tasks; your valuable time pre-determined by other’s priorities. Pretty soon, each of your days has blended into the other and you’re hard-pressed in cultivating the stand-out moments that would have helped shape and sharpen skills necessary for the next level – even for a lateral shift aimed at broadening your perspective and experience.

And lastly, set apart time, for absorbing the trends and practices that are shaping your industry. In the knowledge economy, the value of having a fifty-thousand view of your industry matters, and can sometimes mean the difference for an elevation, between the candidate with a keen understanding of the minutiae, and another who’s not only deft in his domain, but has a grasp of where his part fits into the larger whole  of the industry. So, while it’s important to work your tools, it’s also vital to sharpen your axe.

Of course, this list is not exhaustive and may not even scratch the surface of a productivity manual. As well, what works for me, may not work for you. The idea is to present an alternative to the commonly touted ‘virtue’ of multi-tasking, for taking control of the steering wheel at your desk. 

A more intentional and willful accounting of time, a carving out of time chunks for more imaginative work, and an ounce of steely determination can keep you from blurry multi-tasking. Beginning tomorrow.