How many times a day do you catch yourself trying to do 18 things all at once? Do you flaunt your “expertise” in multitasking? You probably shouldn’t. Science proves that multitasking is actually impossible.

Let’s figure that one out together.

One of the first books I read upon beginning my journey into the world of self-employment was Singletasking by Devora Zack. It took me months to actually get through it because, like most of us, I was always bouncing between all the things I needed to get done. But the whole point of the book, if the title doesn’t give it away, is to break your habit of multitasking and start you on the path of singletasking.

What is singletasking?

It’s a pretty self-explanatory term. It means absolutely dedicating yourself to one thing at a time. This may sound counterintuitive to some of you but the reality is the more focus and energy you put into a single task at a time, the better your return will be. Zack spends the book expanding on that point and bursts a few bubbles on what advantages people think multitasking gives them. While I highly suggest you buy this book, I’m sharing what I find to be the most valuable takeaways.

Clustertasking

Clustertasking is simply grouping together similar tasks and getting them done in the same block of time. Zack writes, and I agree from my own experience, that it’s easier to focus on a bunch of smaller tasks when they all have the same priority level, need the same level of focus, or pertain to the same subject. Example, I work on SEO for a few clients as well as manage my own website. When it comes time to check traffic, update posts, or make theme/plugin changes, I can work on these sites within the same block of time. All of those tasks are in WordPress, so there’s a very, very small shift in where my attention goes.

Time-shifting

Do you ever get so engrossed in your work that you lose track of time? Do you ever dip into your personal time to get your work done? Coupled with clustertasking, time shifting is an incredibly effective way to get your work done without overworking yourself. Take a look at your typical day. Now carve out 90-minute chunks of your day. Make sure to leave 10-15 minute breaks to move around and 30 minutes for lunch. Use this blocked schedule on a daily basis. Take inventory each morning of what needs to be accomplished and prioritize, then dedicate those tasks to specific parts of your day.

There are, of course, a plethora of tips and tricks that Zack gives in her book. These are just the two I put to use almost immediately. Once again, I highly recommend that you read Singletasking by Devora Zack. It’s absolutely a must-have on every business(wo)man’s bookshelf. Are you a multitasker or a singletasker? Share your comments down below. I would love to hear your thoughts.

*I am in no way being compensated for reviewing this book. ?*