Are you an effective multi-tasker?

I wanted to write something down to touch on the idea that some people are just naturally good multi-taskers...

Although this is a very debatable subject, I cannot emphasize enough on the fact that I still know some people who, even though they have managed to climb higher in the corporate ladder, were still struggling to develop this essential skill.

They toil tirelessly, taking in more tasks in the hope that by doing so, they will develop the skill on how to better manage their time and tasks. It's as if this sort of practice will get them anywhere.

Unlike any other essential skill, it's not enough to think that you'll be a better multi-tasker by simply going through a lot of tasks, hoping that they'll eventually pick it up through repetition. Most of the time, people attribute multi-tasking to time management, so generally, they often thought that you'd naturally be a good multi-tasker if you have good time management skills...

This is, of course, an incorrect notion. Being able to manage your time well doesn't make you a better multi-tasker, in fact, the two doesn't have any relationship at all. I'll tell you why in a minute. I am not saying here that time management skill is not desirable in multi-tasking. I'm just saying that it is not a requisite.

People who are good time managers may possess the basic characteristics, but it doesn't necessarily follow that they'd be good multi-taskers right off the bat. They need to understand the basic fact the it'll take more than mere time management skills to become effective multi-taskers.

So how do you become a good multi-tasker?

The information I compiled is not a recommendation but a list of things that is, in my opinion, essential to being a better multi-tasker.

(1) Identifying your personal physical, emotional, psychological strengths

Right off the bat, you need to identify your upper and lower limits... No single organism can say that it can do it all without expecting serious problems later. Knowing how long you can go on working, or how late can you stay up late, or if you're willing to throw away weekends off is essential if you want to be a better multi-tasker.

(2) Consciously Practice and learn the skill (emphasis on the word "Consciously")

Have you ever tried running a 30 km triathlon race on the day of the race itself? Somethings can be done better if you have enough preparation, introspection, and training ahead of time. You simply cannot expect to finish the marathon if you just fancied running it on race day itself. This is the same with trying to learn a new skill (like multi-tasking) you simply cannot magically acquire it without going through some sort of regimen.

(3) Subject Matter Knowledge

Getting first hand and in-depth information about any specific task whether it is material to the it's completion or not is always a good thing to start with. Finishing any tasks means that you need to be well informed about any specifics so that you don't get those nasty gotchas on the tasks end phase. This is why, the better multi-tasker will be discriminate in accepting just any task that is foreign to him/her. It is more acceptable to decline any task that you don't know anything about, than carry on hoping to finish it off (example, writing a book in modern surgery)

(4) Learn to delegate / outsource components within the task itself

Nobody expects you to be like Superman, otherwise they're deluding themselves and you don't want to be a part of that - so better update your resume quick!

Being tasked with finishing the companies financial report over the weekends on and still expecting to manage the photocopying and distributing task by Monday is an exercise of absolute misappropriation of your time, energy, resources, and talent. On the other hand, if you feel that you don't have anything better to do that day and you'd really just like to take it easy, then, you need to ask only two questions - (a) Am I ready to start/take in another task? or (b) I need to find another job because this really isn't working at all!

(5) Keeping a record of your performance

Having some kind of document to keep tabs on how you're performing the given tasks will give you priceless clues as to how to improve your skill/technique. On the document itself, you can try to identify the following items so that you can have a meaningful time to review your performance: (a) Time/Date Started versus Time/Date Completed, (b) List of challenges/issues encountered (c) Learning Points or take aways (d) person/group who assigned the task and their expectations (e) your own expectations and their outcomes.

Hope this gave you guys some insight...