Conclusion
Multitasking is a myth.
At best, it distracts you from the work that really needs your attention. At worst, the endless pull of technology, distraction and unimportant projects will cause irreparable damage to a career and lifestyle that could have been achieved with focus on the most important things.
What’s the antidote?
Commit to breaking your multitasking habit.
Then, cultivate a new habit of focus.
While our bodies are brains are amazingly capable of doing many things, why not commit to focusing the tremendous resources you have within towards the pursuit of something remarkable and worthy of your precious time on this planet?
If you have the courage to commit to a lifestyle of concentration and focus for the long-term, I’m willing to bet you will be less stressed, happier and more proud of the little dent you’ll be making in this great big universe we are all living in. Other smart people, like Barry, agree.
Facebook, Twitter, email, Netflix, the news and whatever else is robbing you of your attention will be there tomorrow.
For today, focus on what really matters.
Notes
[1] The book is remarkable. It gives me extra motivation to think even bigger regarding the goals I want to achieve, and the what it will take to make them happen. Most striking is the ability for Musk to go deep on hard problems, despite the demands on his time as the CEO of multiple companies.
[2] I witnessed many of my bosses (and more senior execs) at Microsoft employing this strategy. Some, would hang out in the lobby of our buildings periodically or wander the halls, making it easier for team members to find them and ask questions.
[3] Cal Newport’s accomplishments are noteworthy, gaining a professorship in Computer Science at relatively young age while publishing six books along the way. I highly recommend checking out his blog as a starting point to his work. He has several books — around achievement in school and work — that I’ve placed on my reading list but haven’t gotten to them yet.
[4] I’m not alone here. Barry Schwartz, author of The Paradox of Choice, has noted that, given the information-rich Internet era, it is tempting to get into a habit of dwelling in a sea of information with too many choices, which has been noted to have a negative effect on human happiness. Check out his insightful Ted talk.
[5] There is a lot of research and news out there regarding multitasking. I recommend checking out University of Michigan’s site for a thorough list of studies and articles on the matter, including the work by Dr. Meyer and his colleagues. This chapter on multitasking from The Oxford Handbook of Cognitive Sciences also provides a more technical review of what is happening in the brain when we juggle tasks.
[6] Ed Hallowell knows a thing or two about training your ability to focus. He has written several books on the topic and specializes in treating adults who have “ADHD” symptoms. I wrote a blog post about one of his books, Driven to Distraction at Work.
[7] Don’t practice this form of active concentration while running on technical trails with lots of roots and rocks. I’ve tried, and the result isn’t pretty!
[8] I heard Tim Ferriss mention on a podcast that he does morning pages as well. I’m in good company! Here’s an older post where Tim talks about the morning pages method. As a personal example, here’s a post I wrote that was written almost verbatim based on my morning pages.
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