Stop Multi-Tasking

Read time: 2 minutes

Welcome back to The Leap! A newsletter to help individuals and businesses take their productivity to the next level.

The topic this week is often misunderstood.

Let’s get into it.

Stop Multi-Tasking

Multi-tasking is killing your productivity. Recent studies have shown that multi-tasking can cause you to lose up to 40% of productivity.

It's popular to think you are multi-tasking, but research shows that people can't multi-task. Instead, people switch tasks.

We are good at switching back and forth quickly, so we THINK we are multi-tasking, but in reality, we are not.

The problem is that this is how the majority of people work—constantly switching back and forth between various tasks.

The solution? Time Blocking.

The Power of Time Blocking

It's Monday morning, and you have no clue what to work on. So many things need to be done, but where do you start?

So you pick something and get the day started. It's only been a few minutes, and all your attention shifts to an incoming email, notification, or task.

We've all been there.

But there's a simple solution. Time Blocking.

First, let's define what time blocking is. Time blocking is a time management strategy where you schedule your day.

Here is a visual example:

This is my Google Calendar for tomorrow. I color code and block out time for specific tasks.

I love that I can set recurring tasks. For example, every Monday from 1:30 - 3:30, I write and schedule all my content for the whole week.

So why does time-blocking work? Here are four reasons:

1. Prioritization

When you schedule your day, you are forced to prioritize and focus on what’s most important. You don’t waste time on tasks that don’t produce results.

Remember the Pareto Principle. 80% of outcomes come from 20% of causes.

2. Time Management

By scheduling specific time slots for each task, you can make sure you allocate the correct amount of time.

When you know you have 1 hour to complete a specific task, you are less likely to drag it out to 3 hours.

3. Accountability

When you time block, you create accountability for yourself.

You are more likely to follow through on your commitments when a clear plan is in place.

4. Focus

Time blocking keeps you focused on the task at hand.

You can work more efficiently because you are not multi-tasking or trying to switch between tasks.

Summary

Time blocking is one of my #1 recommendations to boost productivity instantly. It can be implemented immediately, and the results are enormous.

I recommend planning your day the night before. It feels good going into the day knowing exactly what you will be working on.

And then stick to the schedule. If you got to the end of a time block and didn’t finish, that’s okay. Move on to the next task.

Then when you plan the following day, you can roll over tasks you need more time with.

That’s it for this week.

Whenever you’re ready, here’s how I can help you:

1. Systems & Workflow Optimization: I help businesses, coaches, and consultants make more money in less time by improving their systems & workflows. Check out this free systems training video to learn how.

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