Doing One thing At A Time : A Realization From A Former Chronic Multi-tasker
Like many others, I like to think that I can do so many things all at once. I can have a successful business, multiple degrees, great physique, fat bank account, and traveling the world; all at once. But guess what, after 15 years being a multitasker and wanting so many things at the same time, it didn't work. I was stuck in a loop of unfinished projects, goals, yo-yo health changes, and even unable to cover as many places as I could. And I keep living my life without a major big accomplishment.
However, just around last month I finally got the idea of doing one thing at a time and started to implement it into my life. Maybe after all what I was taught made sense, my mom used to tell me just to take ONE extracurricular instead of 3-4 things all at once. But the younger me didn't care. I wanted to know many things at the same time. Sure I did great but not as great as others who were only focused on it.
Somehow, the way I grew up in a competitive environment also made a huge contribution to my multi-tasking habit. I always try to outpace anyone but you know, I ended up failing because unlike them who are focused, I didn’t. I have so many things on my plate that I have to do at the same time. That includes so many of my goals that seemed unthinkable.
Silly me, I thought I could achieve them by the time I was a certain age. And now, I wished I understood the idea of single-tasking early on. I am pretty sure now, the people who told me to just do single tasking had their " I told you so" moment.
I get it, you’re right and here I am admitting that I am mistaken.
These days after wanting some major changes in my life, I decided to just stick with a goal for 3-4 months. As according to a physcology, it takes about 18 to 254 days to form a new habit. So the 3-4 months seemed quite reasonable to kick start a new habit and have results. For instance, since my goal is cutting some weight and becoming fitter, I workout at the gym 6x/week for 60 to 90 minutes/session. It was difficult at first but after a while, especially now, it's easier.
Naturally if I were the old me, I would also add more goals like reading more, building an app, making more money or some shit like that. But nope. I actually spend my day just focusing on what I do normally while going to the gym.
This is also a mindset change because even if you read countless things about single-tasking it won't matter if it didn't click, or you have an AHA moment. So basically, inside my mind, I do not make any other room other than learning about gym exercises, nutrition, and all about fitness. The old me would have quit going to the gym just maybe 2-3 times/week and never come back. In fact, it happened just a few months ago.
The nature of my multi-tasking was shown just two weeks ago. I was pushing myself really hard by going to the gym and swimming at the same time. So the gym is 60 minutes and swimming 60 minutes. But guess what? It was very strenuous and impractical. I ended up not seeing that much of a result. Then, only last week I realized I have to do them one by one. Instead of working out at the gym and swimming after. I just do gym 5 times and swimming 1 time (especially during the day when my mom has a day off). I started seeing results and I almost cried because I've never seen myself work that hard and saw changes.
Now, I am sticking to that; doing one thing at a time
What are the changes?
First, things feel much easier. Though I know, it takes longer to achieve something, but what's the rush?. Second, it's also giving me a ripple effect and changes in my mindset that I can make many major improvements if I just do it one thing at a time.Third, I seem to improve more than when I was being a multi-tasker and had my focus divided.
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Mac is a jack of all trades. A typical introvert in love with literature, books, technology and philosophy. She is also so into nootropics, productivity, minimalist lifestyle, cybersecurity, and languages. Other than that, she is passionate about cooking and traveling. In her free time, she enjoys learning various things. If you like her content, don't hesitate to upvote, leave a comment or a feedback. A re-blog is also appreciated. |
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Somehow I feel we have the same issue. I am a multitasker, I do a lot of things at a time, and because of that no major improvement. Worse of all, because of the workload I end up not doing any of it.
The changes I am supposed to see end up not showing forth because my mind is not set.
I wrote a post similar to this some days ago. feel free to check it here.
hope you don't feel I am using this as an opportunity to promote my post
Try switching up and doing one at a time to see which gives you more results.
I would love to read your story and version. Thanks for sharing it with me and others who read this post too!
I did the chronic multitasker thing for a while and I still do it for work when necessary, but I find my personal life is much more peaceful when I manage it in accordance with the things I want out of life. For example working out for x amount of time a day, sleeping 7 hours a day, eating x number of calories a day, and so on and so forth. I've had it both ways where I didn't pay attention to any of that and just did what I wanted to do short term, but I find having something to work towards is a great motivator to, for lack of a better wording, "get my shit together." It's funny I feel like I spent so much of my life trying to escape routine that it's been really nice to just build my own routine and say fuck what other people think your routine needs to be lol. I sleep 4 am to 11 am everyday for example, seems crazy to a lot of people, but it's what I need and it works great for me. Much love Mac.
It's not to me because some days, that's what I do 🤣 and as long as you have work that is okay with that, why not? like I get it some people wake up early because they have work early too.
I got a feeling there's some crypto company out there right now thinking "man we could really use a good multi-lingual employee that can help us translate and market to different groups around the world. Maybe it's not even a crypto company and it's just a tech company. Lot's of opportunities for remote work in crypto and you're already miles ahead of non-crypto people that only speak English! Just know your value and stay open to possibilities and I bet something amazing just falls into your lap.
😃Yeah, I thought it was that way when I live in Bali; easier entries to those but just sad I didn't stay long enough. Maybe after july I'll be there again. gotta focus on the gym stuff for now.
I really hope you play a musical instrument because with your drive and incredible work ethic, you'd be brilliant at it!
It's not the multi tasking that's often the problem, just the time management and ability to devote the right amount of time to each task.
Can I ask, what exactly is the life goal you strive so hard to achieve?
hahah yes. At some point I played instrument and was in a band even marching band when I was kid. Then, during uni I was at a choir too 😂 I just wished I learned to have that mindset of focusing on one thing early on.
I have a lot, But at the moment, the idea of going back to school is appealing to me. It's just that I have to pay it with my own money unlike the prev years 😃
I was a multi-tasker before until I came across a video on YouTube that said single tasking produces faster results. I find it true because I am able to focus on one thing and finish it faster, saving brain and physical energy too that carries me to my next task.
Yeah, it's also energy saving & I can finish things faster. Do you still remember which video was it? I wanna see it!
Focusing on on task make you successful than when you multitask,I have experience this in many way,even in trading,I know some successful trader make more profit by trading only one pairs of currency than when focusing too much on many pairs
Same here! I experience it in all areas of my life. But some people are very good at multitasking though. Not me.
Laser focus and single tasking can be applied anywhere. It's often that we know we need that but we just don't internalize it for some reason. But once you do and realize, single tasker triumph a multitasker
Interesting😃