Entrepreneurial Myth: Being Able to Multitask Helps You Get More Done!

2Chris C. Ducker • 25th Nov 2009 • Uncategorized • dave crenshaw, multitasking

Location: Live2Sell HQ – Reading Time: 7mins

As kids, we grow up with stories about Santa Claus, the Boogeyman, and the Tooth Fairy.  A few years later, our bubbles burst when we realized that those stories are nothing but mere stories, myths, concocted for whatever purpose adults had in mind. Now several years later, as adults, allow me to shock you a little more… Don’t be astounded. Believe me.

Multitasking is a myth.

Well, it is according to Dave Crenshaw (www.davecrenshaw.com), author of “The Myth of Multitasking: How Doing it All, Gets Nothing Down”. As entrepreneurs, we often take pride in ourselves for our ability to “multitask”. Multitasking has become a laudable term in our everyday vocabulary. Think of executives taking pride on their capability to multitask. Think of the job description that asks possible employees to have the ability to multitask. This may come to you as a surprise, but multitasking is a myth. It is costly and upsetting whenever people try to take on it.

I picked up Dave’s book, like thousands of other business owners and serial entrepreneurs, with the view that I do definitely multitask. I was wrong, and Dave explained very clearly why, in his book.

The term “multitasking” is not doing something entirely monotonous and mechanical such as writing a blog entry while eating your sandwich, watching TV while washing your dishes, or listening to music while exercising. When you do these things, you are not multitasking. Instead you are “background tasking”.

For most people, multi-tasking is concurrently executing two or more things that necessitate mental concentration and effort. Imagine discussing a plan with an employee while you are crunching numbers, or attempting to write a business proposal while talking on the phone, attempting to get courtside tickets for the Lakers! You probably think that you are multitasking, but you are not. You’re simply “switchtasking”.

The more I read of Crenshaw’s book, the more I realized something. Truth be told, no matter how much we try, we can’t do two things simultaneously. Equipped with one body and one brain, multitasking, neurologically speaking, is just impossible.

Instead, what we are doing is simply switching back and forth between two chores hastily – paying attention here, writing there, listening to the CD, checking mails there. We do these things back and forth at such elevated pace.  This intensely deep-rooted habit can lead to stress and apprehension, leading to several concentration and productivity problems. Not only this, but when looking at this ‘myth’ myself, I realized that it has (not anymore!) resulted in me getting involved with quite a bit of procrastination – which isn’t good for any busy business owner!

When all is said and done, Dave Crenshaw is right! Multitasking is just switchtasking. We switch quickly between one task to another. Whenever we switch, there is a cost coupled with it.  In economics, they call it the “switching costs”, and these switching costs are high.

Now, am I writing this review because Dave recently became a client of Live2Care, and is using our Virtual Assistant Service to great effect? No. I am reviewing the book, in my own special little way, as I genuinely enjoyed it and thought it was a great read (Dave contacted me via Twitter, when he saw me praising it, before we had ever even spoke..!).

I am sure that he will not mind if I give you a few tips to help you decelerate your switchtasking and become more productive as busy entrepreneurs, so here you go:

• Be in control with technology. Be the master over the niggling buzzes and beeps by creating silence. Turn off your cell phone and computer e-mail notifications.
• Schedule. Create regular periods in a day and week to inspect your e-mail and voicemail. Inform others of the schedule so they’ll know when to anticipate a response from you.
• Pay attention to a person. Whenever you switch from one task to another when dealing with a computer, you lose efficiency. However, when you switchtask on a person, you could damage a relationship. Remember to listen carefully. Listen attentively. Move on only after the conversation is complete.

You can get your own copy of Dave’s book at Amazon, and I also suggest a visit to his website at www.davecrenshaw.com, as he has a great blog, and regularly updates with fantastic posts. He also produces a “Get Time Bootcamp”, which you should definitely check out, too.

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