Multitasking: Do it the wrong way and your productivity suffers.
Related:7 Ways To Stay Productive At Work
These days, technology makes it easy to do multiple tasks at once - or so we thought.
According to this infographic, only two percent of people can successfully multitask. The rest of us are just wasting our time trying.
You may think you're accomplishing a lot when you're talking on the phone with a client while simultaneously Gchating with your co-workers and updating your Facebook status (in fact, while reading this article, I bet you couldn't help but check your phone or e-mail); however, it turns out our brain doesn't really work that way. Sorry guys.
But I'm not here to criticize. I can honestly say that I am the worst of the worst when it comes to multitasking.
Do I have a multitasking addiction? Maybe. But this must-do-everything-right-this-second attitude isn't an uncommon mentality. Unfortunately, in this day and age, people expect you to do multiple tasks at once.
So, how can we multitask more efficiently? Is it possible?
Here are some tips to help out your overworked brain to multitask smarter, not harder:
1. Evaluate Your Multitasking Habits
Think about your assignments and why you feel you need to multitask while doing them. Ask yourself the following questions:
Do you really need to get all of these tasks done simultaneously?
Are you trying to multitask because you feel you are not being challenged enough?
Are you trying to multitask because you feel overwhelmed?
Is your multitasking the result of distractions?
Are there specific tasks that get done faster when you multitask?
Which tasks do you need to buckle down and give your full attention to?
Once you are aware of these things, it's easier to organize your multitasking efforts.
2. Use Different Stimuli
Want to multitask smarter? Try doing tasks that involve two types of stimuli, such as visual and auditory tasks. According to this article on ABC News, using different stimuli makes multitasking easier.
If you try to do two visual tasks at the same time, such as sending a Tweet while writing an article, your brain can get overwhelmed. This can slow down your productivity.
Instead, try choosing tasks that involve different types of stimuli such as talking on the phone while going over web design options or sales graphs.
3. Give Your E-mail A Break
I know, I know, I hate the idea of this one, too. What if you received an urgent e-mail? What if you look bad if you don't respond within five minutes? What if, what if, what if!
However, now that I have been more aware of my multitasking habits, I've noticed that I click over to my e-mail almost every five minutes. Usually, there isn't anything new to look at: No new e-mails. No urgent messages. Nothing.
My advice? Close your e-mail tab. If you are concerned about responding to e-mails, check it every hour instead of every five minutes. In most cases, an e-mail can wait for 60 minutes without being answered.
Food for thought: Technology is changing the way we do things. Is it also changing the way we think? Although technology appears to be making us a more productive society, is it actually making us less productive?
This post was originally published on an earlier date.
The leaves are changing, the kids are back in school, and that familiar chill is in the air. You think it's the perfect time to look for a job, and it is! But are your job search fears preventing you from making that leap?
It's not uncommon to feel lost when embarking on your job search journey. After all, school teaches us everything except how to get a job. What should you put on your resume? What questions should you ask in an interview? How can you stand out in the hiring process when there's so much competition?
Are you feeling spooked yet?
Believe it or not, there's no need to be afraid of the job search process! You can land your dream job with the right tools and strategy. You can find a job that won't give you nightmares. Here are three spooky secrets every job seeker should know as they look for a job this fall.
1. An Effective Job Search Starts With An Interview Bucket List
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Despite your fears, you've decided to take the plunge and look for a new job. You might be asking yourself, "Where do I start?" The answer is simple: start by creating an interview bucket list.
An interview bucket list is a list of 10-20 companies you'd love to work for. Are you passionate about a company's products or services? Do you feel connected to its mission? Can you relate to its values and beliefs as an organization? If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, that company probably belongs on your interview bucket list.
Once you create an interview bucket list, you'll be able to conduct a targeted job search, one with direction and a foundation upon which everything else will be built. An interview bucket list helps you focus your job search and networking strategies on the right opportunities, making it easier to get your foot in the door at one of your dream companies.
2. Your Job Application Needs To Disrupt Hiring Managers
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In order to stand out in the hiring process, you need to disrupt recruiters and hiring managers. You accomplish this by doing two things: optimizing your resume and writing a disruptive cover letter.
A well-optimized resume includes keywords from the job description. This ensures your resume gets past the ATS and into the hands of the hiring manager. Once it's in front of the hiring manager, it needs to grab and keep their attention. Quantifying your work experience—adding numbers to your bullet points—will make you stand out from other applicants. Hiring managers will want to know more about you and your accomplishments, and that's how you land a phone interview.
Before that, though, a hiring manager will read your cover letter. To disrupt them, you need to write a disruptive cover letter (obviously!). A disruptive cover letter gives you the opportunity to tell a story about why you feel connected to the company you're applying for. It's that storytelling aspect that will stand out to hiring managers and compel them to pick up the phone and give you a call.
3. Employers Hire You Based On 3 Things
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You can't get hired unless you know what employers are assessing you on in the interview process. While your skills and expertise matter, companies actually hire for three things: personality, aptitude, and experience (in that order).
Most job seekers don't realize how important it is to demonstrate their personality, aptitude, and experience in an interview. You could have the right experience for a job, but if the hiring manager doesn't think your personality is a good fit for the company culture, you probably won't get a job offer.
Make sure you demonstrate your soft skills and learn how to answer behavioral interview questions to prove you're the best candidate for the job you're applying for, not just the most qualified.
Want To Learn More Job Search Secrets?
As you look for a job this fall, it might be helpful to know some more spooky secrets so you can get over your job search fears and finally take control of your career.
We know the job search process can be scary. However, it's important to get clear on what you want to do next and focus on conducting a strategic job search, or what we refer to at Work It DAILY as job shopping. This is the only way to effectively market yourself to employers. If they can't see exactly where and how you add value, then that's going to decrease your chances of landing the job.
The competition is fierce, and there are a lot of factors that are out of your control. But the one factor you can control is your job search strategy, the tools and tactics you use to land a job.
If you want to learn the secrets to conducting a strategic job search, sign up for our Job Search Bootcamp, a two-hour, on-demand video workshop that comes with a free workbook.
In this video workshop, you'll learn:
How to use backchanneling to get directly to hiring managers.
The secret to using a connection story to stand out against the competition.
How social media can be your secret weapon to get job interviews.
The resume format that is getting job seekers more job interviews.