Multitasking: A Small Business Owners Trap
How small business owners can master time management and stay productive.
As a small business owner, you are used to “doing it all.” You find yourself with a laundry list of tasks to accomplish, and it’s your job to find time to get it done. Juggling your responsibilities can lead to one of the most inconspicuous productivity traps: multitasking.
What is Multitasking?
Do you have any experience with multitasking? This is a question we have all heard during the hiring process. It’s a skill once highly valued in the workforce and seen as your golden ticket to climb the corporate ladder. But what does it really mean? By definition, multitasking is doing more than one task simultaneously. Let’s be honest; no matter how good you are, you are not superhuman.
Let’s reshape our definition of multitasking to what it is: switching between tasks quickly. Between a constant stream of emails, establishing marketing strategies, managing finances, and a plethora of other duties, as a small business owner, it can seem like multitasking is your only time and money-saving option. Unfortunately, multitasking can cost your business more than it is saving.
While getting things done quickly is the name of the game, studies show that doing more than one task at a time can decrease productivity. The American Psychological Association has explained that our brain goes through two shifts when taking on tasks: Goal shifting and Rule activation. Simply put, goal shifting is choosing one task over another or “I want to do this now instead of that.” Rule activation means, “I’m turning off the rules for that task and turning on the rules for this one.” For a small business owner, this could look like:
Shift 1 — Choosing to review your new marketing strategy instead of looking at last quarter’s spending.
Shift 2 — Activating the creative and communication skills required for marketing; shifting away from the linear or numerically analytical skills needed for accounting.
Marketing and accounting have very different rules, so your brain must make a significant effort to transition into the rule activation phase. With so much focus on rule activation, your brain will struggle to catch up. As a result, you forfeit productivity and quality.
Let’s look at the research:
- Multitasking hinders productivity; 40% of your productivity is eaten away because switching between tasks takes longer than doing them one at a time.
- Multitasking is distracting. Constantly refocusing your attention on other projects you are working on distracts you from the current one.
- Multitasking interferes with your working memory and can create problems with your long-term memory.
- Multitasking is a strain on your mental health. It can increase negative emotions, make a person more irritable or impatient, and even lead to chronic stress.
Avoid the Trap — Guide for Small Business Owners
Now, this does not mean you have any less to do. You are probably thinking: Well, how am I supposed to get anything done?! The answer may seem too simple: Plan your day. Here are Four tips I found helpful in avoiding burnout caused by multitasking.
#1 Prioritize — The U&I Rule
You will not clear out your to-do list every day — the key to prioritization is to be realistic. Create a short daily to-do list with your top priorities.
One way to identify high-priority tasks is the U&I Rule — Urgent & Important Rule. The U&I Rule, or the Eisenhower Matrix, is a time management principle that former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower outlined. Eisenhower said: “I have two kinds of problems: the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent.”
When you are a small business owner, EVERYTHING seems urgent and important. It is essential to identify what is urgent and important to your business. Tasks that require urgency demand immediate attention, are associated with achieving someone else’s goal — like a client or have immediate consequences when handled promptly. Important tasks have an outcome that leads to us achieving our goals, whether these are professional or personal. Over time, you will identify these top-priority tasks faster. It may take some trial and error, but you will see benefits in your quality and time in each task.
#2 Eliminate Clutter
One thing that can make your day successful is to start your morning with smaller tasks. These are usually tasks that take me 2–3 minutes tops. Simple tasks build up, take up space in the brain, and add unnecessary bulk to your to-do list. Another way to eliminate clutter is to organize your email. Have a window in your day when you plan to clear out your inbox, keeping your inbox up-to-date and set to the side so you can focus on your top priorities.
#3 Block Off Time for Your Tasks
Blocking dedicated time to a specific task lets you focus on it, effectively getting it off your to-do list. You don’t have to respond to every email within seconds of receipt, so turn off your communication channels and focus on the task at hand. If this is a significant change for you, ease into this by blocking off smaller increments of time and gradually increasing them as you become more comfortable. We have all had employees who reach out frequently with questions. It’s also okay to set boundaries; not every question is urgent. You still want to be available to them, so don’t leave them hanging, but explain to your employees that you will get back to their messages later in the day.
#4 — Don’t Forget to Take Breaks
Yes, take a break! It allows your mind to process anything that comes up during the day. Gaining a new perspective on your business’s challenges will help keep the big picture in mind. How often have you struggled to find a solution to a problem or come up with new creative ideas at work, only to have a perfect idea or answer hit you when you’re enjoying dinner with friends and family? Taking a few strategic breaks throughout the day will give your mind a chance to organically develop the solutions you’re looking for.
In Summary
Wasting time is a business owner’s nightmare. You’ll be tempted to throw away the game plan and stick to multitasking with your various responsibilities. You won’t be able to eliminate multitasking; emergencies arise. But by thinking one step ahead, you can avoid unnecessary task shifting. While it may seem like you are wasting time initially, you will see a more significant positive impact on the productivity and quality of your company. Encouraging your employees to use proper time management over multitasking will ensure your company has consistent quality from the top down.
