How to Multi-task to Save Time and Maximize Productivity

A Serial Multi-tasker

With increasing demands on our lives - our professional work, dreaded house work, raising our children, finding time for cardio and strength training exercise so necessary for good health, communication via telephone, text messaging or email - we often find ourselves racing the clock. To compensate, multi-tasking is a way of life for many of us who are looking for strategies to save time and be more productive in our daily activities. New available technology allows us to multi-task at work, in the car, at home, and in many other places and occasions. We sometimes find ourselves multi-tasking with tasks we never thought we could do at the same time. I have personally witnessed a woman driving her car while talking on her cell phone and applying lipstick all at the same time, a multi-tasking endeavor I would not recommend for safety's sake.

Experts say that multi-tasking is actually inefficient and that, essentially, we merely become more efficient at multi-tasking rather than increasing efficiency in each of the tasks themselves. However, a quote from the Science Daily may give obsessive multi-taskers hope: "A new brain imaging study led by a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of New Hampshire finds that there are optimal times when we are better suited to multi-task." The key is to experiment to determine when your optimal times are for accomplishing more than one task at a time. This article addresses the different kinds of tasks that you can potentially combine to save time and maximize your productivity.

Things You'll Need

• Blackberry or cell phone
• Laptop computer
• Notebook and pencil
• Stationery and pen
• Small hand-held tape recorder
• Jogging shoes
• Household cleaning supplies

Instructions

1. It is not uncommon for me to multi-task by having a working breakfast and a working lunch. I try to get as much work done as possible during the day so that I can have my evenings free for relaxation and enjoyment. To accomplish this, I frequently eat my breakfast while checking my email and reading and commenting on eHow articles. Enjoying oatmeal with fresh blueberries and a good hot cup of coffee while reading an enjoyable eHow article is actually a good start to the day. I frequently take a working lunch in order to do Internet research. Savoring a tuna sandwich and a cold, crisp Golden Delicious apple makes research for freelance writing projects much more palatable.

2. There are many tasks that you can combine with your daily cardio exercise. If your preference is to power walk or jog outside, you can take your cell phone or Blackberry along to simultaneously catch up on your obligatory telephone calls, text messaging, or to check your email. Another multi-tasking strategy is to take along a small hand-held tape recording device to make "notes to self", to dictate "to-do" lists, to organize your thoughts for a work-related assignment or, if you are a freelance writer , as I am, to dictate your ideas for your next writing project.

   If you prefer to power walk or jog inside, particularly on hot summer days or cold wintry days, there are many household tasks that can be done simultaneously. You can jog in place while packing your children's school lunches. You can dust your house while jogging in place. I've even cleaned my entire kitchen while jogging in place. Try folding and putting away your laundry while jogging in place to save yourself time. Almost any household cleaning job that doesn't require you to stop moving can be done while jogging in place. If you attempt these multi-tasking strategies, you will find that you've saved time and been productive by getting some of your household chores completed while maintaining your heart-healthy exercise regimen.

3. If you have a long commute whether it's by train, bus, airplane or as a passenger in an automobile, never be without your laptop computer, or at least a notebook and pencil. Riding long distances is total down time that you can turn into productive time by completing some of your work via your laptop, especially if you are a writer. If you don't have a laptop, jot down your thoughts in a notebook. An alternative would be to use a small hand-held tape recorder to dictate your work thoughts and ideas for typing into your desktop computer at your first opportunity.

   Long commutes present an excellent opportunity to catch up on written correspondence, email correspondence or obligatory telephone calls. Just be sure that you are equipped on your commute with stationery, pen, and your Blackberry or other Internet accessible cellular telephone. One mutli-tasking strategy, however, that should be avoided at all costs is talking on your cell phone or text messaging while driving. This is illegal in many states and is distracting enough to be a severe safety hazard.

   It is possible to do more than one task simultaneously to save time and still be efficient and productive if you multi-task during periods of time when you have optimal focus. Remember, there is an old American proverb that says, "If you can't ride two horses at once, you shouldn't be in the circus."

Tips & Warnings

• Don't talk on your cell phone or text message while driving.

Resources

• Science Daily
• Start Up Nation
• Folkd.com
• Quotable Online
• Write Solution Ink (Writing Credentials)