The Myth of Multitasking – 4 of 10

Come a long way, not yet, 6 articles are left. This is 4 of 10 Articles of the Productive Mindset Series on which we will talk about the “Myth of Multitasking”.

Multitasking is a widely discussed topic and one thing that comes out is “never do Multitask”. This is true but if you Multitask properly then it’s not a bad thing to do.

Let me explain why.

The Myth of Multitasking

One of the first things I learned about Multitasking was, never do it unless and till, everything is connected.

For example, if you’re running a book review website then it makes sense to create a YouTube Channel about books.

Let’s say, you write three articles a week, so what you can do is, write the articles first and then make videos about them. You don’t have to say anything else, just follow the article.

This way, the videos will be on point and it won’t even take lots of time to shoot.

Now,

Let’s say, you’re doing a job along with side business and you also want to start a website and even YouTube Channel then this is messed-up Multitasking.

Here, you won’t be able to do any of the tasks with 100% energy. One of two tasks will be left behind and later, you will feel disappointed that none of the tasks reached their true potential.

In this case, it’s better to focus on one task whether it’s doing a job in daylight and when you reach your home, working on that business idea rather than working on the website and shooting videos for YouTube at the same time.

Now, what I’m about to say might feel repetitive but hear me, 

When you’re working on a project or something else then give your undivided attention to that project, don’t check your smartphone or anything else.

Your eyes and mind need to focus on that one task.

Now, to give your undivided attention, you have to learn about the flow, so let’s talk about it.

The Power of Flow

There are tons of books written on multitasking but one that stands out to me was Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.

He simply says, don’t do something that is beyond your capabilities. 

For example, you show that starting a business will make lots of money which is true but if you don’t know anything about “how to start a business and run” then you will end up losing money.

So simply learn about the things you want to do and once you acquire the skill, that day, start working on your dreams.

How to find Flow, 

• Find something that makes you happy and adds value to your life. 
• Choose an activity that matches your skills. 
• Don’t focus on money, focus on your work.  

My flow is writing and this is what I’m doing right now. I also love writing and that’s the reason why I have monetized my skill as well.

Now, I didn’t start earrings from writing from the first day, I first had to learn “how to write for SEO, how to rank articles, and so on”

I got my flow because I acquired the skill that I was passionate about.

In the same way, if you know how to play Chess, so you can’t just ask the best player in the world to play with you. 

First, you have to play with the same player as you are otherwise, you will lose. And if you lose then there is a chance that your feelings will get hurt and you might quit chess.

In short, do something where you find your flow, things that are not too hard or not too easy, it sits in-between.

Exercise of the Day

Look, Multitasking should never be your choice but if you plan to do it then see which task needs to be done 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.

Follow the examples I have given you in this article and learn from them.

So first of all,

Ask yourself what you’re good at and how good you’re. How can I improve the skill I have? 

OR better, ask yourself,  

“Do I love the skill I have or I’m in it for money?”  

If you’re in it for money then organize your life as per that goal.

Also, if you don’t know what you’re good at then write down all the things that you love doing and see which is the one thing that you like doing the most. 

Lastly, find your flow and go with it…

Key Takeaways

• Find your flow and start working on it.
• Multitask when everything feels connected.
• You do have time to work on a side business.

Quote of The Day

“F*king two things up at the same time isn’t multitasking” – Dick Masterson

Wrapping Up

In the end, keep in mind, never multitask. Always focus on one task at one time unless and until, everything feels connected.

Take the example of Elon Musk,

Elon Musk has connected all of his businesses,  Tesla produces batteries, which SolarCity can sell, and SolarCity makes solar panels for Tesla charging stations.  

As you can see, all of his businesses are interconnected, he doesn’t have to work hard for each business or he doesn’t have to take extra time to do extra work…

What else he has done is, hired the right people for the job, so he doesn’t have to work too hard.

Now, you still have time to reach Elon Musk’s level.

What I’m trying to say is, be smart enough to understand “which task can be performed simultaneously and which needs proper time”.

That being said, in the 5th Article of Productive Mindset, we’re going to talk about the “Harsh Reality of Social Media”