Multitasking or Chunking
Lisa over Management Craft has written an experience from her on comparing multi-tasking vs focusing. Should you be doing tasks or projects concurrently, or you should leave a bigger chunk of time for you to do one project only (focusing). She found out focusing (she calls it chunking) is more effective:
… I am straddling several large projects right now. All of them important and all of them clamoring for my attention. I decided to do a test and take longer chucks of time to focus on each instead of doing the concurrent multi-tasking thing. Over the last 4 days, I assigned entire days to focus on a project. Each day a different focus. When my mind started to wander, I shut my thoughts down and filed them away until it was their time. I got so much done!!!!!…
What are your experience on multi-tasking, or setting larger block of time to complete your project? Which one do you prefer?
Death to Multi-tasking! Long live chunking! - [Management Craft]
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Comments
Mike M says on September 9th, 2005 at 1:44 am
So did she actually get more done or did it just feel like she got more done, because the result arrived quicker and and in less time?
Personally, I always prefer large chunks of time to devote to a single project. I have a hard time concentrating (I have been diagnosed with AADD, but I do not take anything for it) but when I do get ‘into the zone’ I do not want to be disturbed and I can work for hours straight. Because I have a hard time switching tasks, I definitely get more done by chunking, and I also *feel* like I got more done.