Productivity requires a solid foundation if the methods are going to be successful. Just like every building must have a solid foundation if it is going to remain standing, productivity must also have a solid foundation unless you want it to crumble underneath you.
We are in a ten-article series on the foundations of productivity. Today we will look at another fundamental rule: focus on one thing.
Focus on One Thing: Monofocus
Focusing on one thing at a time is often decried as old-fashioned and a hindrance to productivity.It is said to be more productive to do multiple things at once. However, there is something to be said for the old-fashioned way.
Our grandparents were able to focus on one thing at a time. My grandmother got things done completely and consistently, doing everything well. She didn’t try to do ten things at once.
It could be argued that focusing on more than one thing is a symptom of our modern lifestyle, where everything comes at us in huge quantities and faster than anything our grandparents experienced. But I also know that my grandmother never burned dinner because she was trying to do something else.
Know What You’re Doing
This also relates to knowing exactly what you’re doing.
This phrase – know what you’re doing – doesn’t mean you have to be an expert in everything you do. Rather it means you need to know what you’re doing in every moment.
Have you ever been so preoccupied thinking about something that you don’t remember your commute to work? Scary.
Or what about going from one room to another, thinking about something other than your reason for motion, and having no idea what you went to do?
Multi-tasking is a Myth
The thing that most people don’t realize is that multitasking is a myth. The human brain cannot do two things at once. What happens is the brain starts to flip back and forth, switching between activities.
There is a lag time associated with this switching, making the multitasking actually slower than if we focused on one thing at a time.
While that may not seem like a big deal, when you think about how much time you are multitasking, and what that wasted time is, it can add up.
(I wrote about this in the article Do You Have Brain Thrash?)
The Beauty of Monofocus
Focusing on one thing at a time, or monofocus, is the antidote to multitasking. Focus on one thing, get it done, then switch to another.
Just like our grandparents, we will get things done, and they will be done well.
And there will be no more incidents in my house of blackened jambalaya.
Stopping the Split Brain Cycle
Once you get into the habit of multitasking, it is difficult to switch to monofocus. Part of it is because we have so much information and alerts flying in our faces all the time. Our modern age is leading us along the path of multitasking, and it is destroying our ability to concentrate and focus.
It can be done, though. There are a few things you can do to help:
- Use timers. Build up your ability to focus by using a timer. Start with 30 seconds, and go up from there once it is easy to maintain the focus.
- Turn off notifications. Shut off the beeps, buzzes and pings that come from various devices – the ones that entice you to leave off what you are doing and “check something quickly.”
- Turn off the tabs and windows. The various devices we use every day lead us to multitask. How many apps do you have open on your computer or phone right now? Exactly what I am talking about.
- Use a sticky note. Low tech, but it works. Write down on a paper what you are doing right now. Post it somewhere in your line of vision so that you can use it as a reminder to get back on task.
- Use blockers. If you are constantly being distracted by the interwebs, use a blocker like Leechblock to take away the ability to stray from task. Turn off the wireless on your phone. Use a product like Ommwriter to focus you on writing.
- Run full screen. Even if you don’t have other apps open, just seeing things on the edges of the window can make you wander off.
- Plan. Set a schedule, set your times, and go. Use a list and short bursts of activity to keep yourself moving foward.
Conclusion
Multitasking may be touted as the solution to getting things done, but it is actually counterproductive. Use monofocus to focus on one thing at a time, and boost your productivity.
