I love the ingenuity and utility of my trusty Swiss Army Knife. It’s got three blades, a saw, a fish-scaler, a toothpick, and about 10 other functions – including a corkscrew.
But as much as I love it, I’ve only been able to use one of its features at a time. If you’d like to avoid injury – and maybe a trip to the ER – you need to fold up the tool you just used to get to the next one.
Trying to multitask is like trying to use all of the parts of the Swiss Army Knife at the same time. It’s not really effective – and it can be pretty dangerous.
The human brain is only wired to really focus on one thing at a time. What feels like multi-tasking is just really fast switching. And every time you switch you lose focus and productivity. It is especially dangerous when the task at hand requires mental focus, collaboration, or creativity – like talking with clients or staff or doing legal work.
You must control your multi-tasking habit if you want to feel truly satisfied, reduce your stress and do your best work.
Of course knowing that you should do something, what to do, and even how to do it is typically not enough to actually cause you to do it – never mind make it a habit.
Enlisting the support of a trusted friend or advisor is an essential step in breaking old habits and creating new ones. This is why top-level athletes surround themselves with coaches and advisors who will help them achieve – and stay – at the top of their game.
So, if you’d really like to change, find a guide you can trust – who can help you spot and overcome bad habits – and get started.
-Doug
P.s … If you found this helpful you might like my latest Lawyer Productivity Hacks. Click Here to get your free copy.