Money Saving Mom®

I’ve been reading your book, 21 Day to a More Disciplined Life, and am loving it! It’s full of great advice for anyone looking to make more of their time. As I’m reading Day 12 I wondered if you had any thoughts about 100% focus vs. multi-tasking.

This chapter focuses on 100% focus, without distractions and I can see how distractions can be death to a goal. On the other hand, as a busy mom, I find that multi-tasking is important and even necessary at times. Do you have any thoughts as to when to multi-task and when to focus? -Rebecca

Great question! I’m a big believer in focused intensity when it comes to comes to many projects.

In fact, I was participating in the BEECH Retreat weekly Thursday night Twitter chat last week when the question came up: “Have you ever sat down to write a blog post & got distracted by social media or email?”

My response? Yes. However, I usually make myself shut down distractions while blogging — otherwise I’ll never get posts written!

If you want to get anything worthwhile done in life, you’ve got to have FOCUS. And I like to take that one step further and make it focused intensity.

What Is Focused Intensity?

Focused Intensity is zeroing in on one specific project and giving it your entire concentration and energy for a determined length of time. I like to set a time limit on it and then challenge myself to see how much I can get done in that timeframe.

For instance, if I’m working on writing a blog post, an article, or a chapter in my next book, I’ll usually shut everything down on my computer, shut my office door, set the timer for 10 or 15 minutes, and work as hard as I can until the timer goes off.

When I work with this kind of focused intensity, I can get a lot done in a short amount of time. Whereas, if I’m all scattered all over the place — trying to write a post while checking and answering emails, keeping up with what’s going on on my Facebook Page, and refreshing my comments page, it will take me a very long time to get any writing done — and I probably won’t do a great job of it.

When Should You Work With Focused Intensity?

Everyone is different, but I’ve found that I cannot write well when there are a dozen distractions going on at once. I also find that I’m not able to think and process ideas and post outlines well if I’m constantly interrupted.

I’ve found it typically takes me three to five times longer to finish a post or writing project when I’m constantly interrupted than it does when I can work with focused intensity. So writing is one area where I always choose times of day when I know I can work with minimal interruptions (during the early morning hours, during afternoon quiet times, or on Saturdays.).

Are There Times When It’s Good to Multi-Task?

There are many, many other things I do that don’t require that same level of focus that writing does. And I’m all about multi-tasking if the end result means greater productivity.

I read while I do my walking warm-up and cool-down on the treadmill. I knit while I’m watching a movie with the family. I scrub my kitchen floor while I talk on the phone. Or, I put bread in the bread machine to mix while I’m chatting with a friend who is over.

There’s no point in just doing one thing, when you can as easily do two things well. I intentionally plan ahead for these opportunities — often even writing them on my daily to-do list. If I know I’m going to be heading to an appointment, I’ll make a note to bring a certain book or writing project, depending upon the appointment. If I know that we’re going to be having a family movie night or I’m having a friend over, I’ll make a note to make sure and get out my knitting or other handwork project.

By planning ahead like this, I’m able to use the time more productively, and in turn, I’m able to chip away at my weekly goal list — all while multi-tasking. So before I know it, projects are getting done without me putting a whole lot of extra effort into them.

That said, make sure when you are multi-tasking that you are actually being more productive. Sometimes, in trying to multi-task, you end up getting less done and just making a mess of multiple things.

What about the rest of you? Do you find that there are certain things you have to focus on without interruption to be productive? What are your favorite ways to multi-task that truly work?

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