multi-tasking? Do we have a choice?
Being the owner of a small pallet manufacturing operation I wear many hats. Basically I am the CEO of every single facet of the business. I have been seeing all of these articles about how multitasking can rot your brain and cause stress. Along with these articles are suggestions like do one thing at a time until finished......like I would if I could.
I have taken several time management courses over the last 15 years of my professional life thinking that I would find that One trick that would make it all better. Let's face it. In the real world of managing a business we do NOT have the luxury of choosing to take one thing at a time and finish it, nor do we have to time to create all of these time lined "to-do" lists with priority codes, etc. etc. etc.
Below is a comment I recently made to a Yahoo article about multi-tasking. I think it sums up my feelings rather well.
I am interested in other opinions.....even if they do not agree with my own.
(comment) A manager has to have the ability to multi-task. Plain and simple. There is NO Choice. Yes, it does cause your brain to explode, and many other stress related health issues. When possible, it is more effective to work on one thing at a time and move on to the next. One certainly has less errors and more of a sense of accomplishment: However, that is in the perfect world and most of us managers do not have that luxury to make that choice. We have to deal with and make decisions on the fly or the whole place could shut down. I often joke that my title should be "fire-fighter" because on some days it is all about running from one fire to the next and at the end of the day the desk reflects that you have literally done nothing....but one must take evalutions on the split second decisions and troubleshooting demands that occurred throughout the day.....(Please hold phone is ringing..must answer....Ok, where was I?)and walk away thinking about all of the "saves" that occurred instead of all the things on your desk you didn't get done (ok, I have answered two employee questions and attended to an equipment malfunction in the midst of finishing this sentence)you will feel more satisfied. There are some things that have to be pushed aside and dealt with later....no choice. I have taken at least 3 different time management courses over the last 15 years and in a fast paced business where YOU are the head of every department.....TIME Manages YOU! I choose to be a Happy Person who almost always deals with every person and event with a smile....even when I don't feel like smiling. Trust me, it helps! That is the one thing I do have a choice over. How I deal with each day! Good luck...and task on!
I have taken several time management courses over the last 15 years of my professional life thinking that I would find that One trick that would make it all better. Let's face it. In the real world of managing a business we do NOT have the luxury of choosing to take one thing at a time and finish it, nor do we have to time to create all of these time lined "to-do" lists with priority codes, etc. etc. etc.
Below is a comment I recently made to a Yahoo article about multi-tasking. I think it sums up my feelings rather well.
I am interested in other opinions.....even if they do not agree with my own.
(comment) A manager has to have the ability to multi-task. Plain and simple. There is NO Choice. Yes, it does cause your brain to explode, and many other stress related health issues. When possible, it is more effective to work on one thing at a time and move on to the next. One certainly has less errors and more of a sense of accomplishment: However, that is in the perfect world and most of us managers do not have that luxury to make that choice. We have to deal with and make decisions on the fly or the whole place could shut down. I often joke that my title should be "fire-fighter" because on some days it is all about running from one fire to the next and at the end of the day the desk reflects that you have literally done nothing....but one must take evalutions on the split second decisions and troubleshooting demands that occurred throughout the day.....(Please hold phone is ringing..must answer....Ok, where was I?)and walk away thinking about all of the "saves" that occurred instead of all the things on your desk you didn't get done (ok, I have answered two employee questions and attended to an equipment malfunction in the midst of finishing this sentence)you will feel more satisfied. There are some things that have to be pushed aside and dealt with later....no choice. I have taken at least 3 different time management courses over the last 15 years and in a fast paced business where YOU are the head of every department.....TIME Manages YOU! I choose to be a Happy Person who almost always deals with every person and event with a smile....even when I don't feel like smiling. Trust me, it helps! That is the one thing I do have a choice over. How I deal with each day! Good luck...and task on!
Labels: business management, export pallets, multitasking, time management
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