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According to scientists, multitasking is the biggest myth of our generation. In fact, studies have found that just 2.5% of people are actually capable of this so-called skill!
As such, you might assume that we’d finally cut ourselves a break and focus on one thing at a time, but for moms, that’s simply not the case. If anything, the increase in work-from-home moms has worsened multitasking expectations. Modern women are literally expected to do it all, and it’s often women who place these expectations on ourselves!!!
Let’s face it – we’re the worst for piling on the pressure. But trying to do everything at once means we end up doing everything worse. Ultimately, then, a continued belief in the power of multitasking could be the single setback that stops your WAHM dreams from coming true.
So let’s consider four signs that the multitasking myth is getting in your way and what you can do about it.
You have an always-on mentality
An always-on mentality isn’t unusual nowadays and should be something you check on periodically. For moms in particular, thinking about one task as you complete another can cause issues. After all, you’re never going to get full enjoyment from feeding your kids if you’re already thinking about the email you need to send after. And your kids will sense your distraction, too! Try to overcome this distracted thinking by writing to-do lists each evening. That should take care of the ‘what’s next’ so that you don’t need to. As always, I recommend embracing Artful Agenda, Planner Pad, The Perfect Notebook OR ANY PLANNING SYSTEM that you will stick with to help reduce distraction.
You fail to focus on each task
Research suggests that multitasking leaves us less effective as we fail to focus on each task in full. Rather, we’re forever half-attentive. This is bad news for both parenting and business, as you can’t successfully review your invoices or send money to China if you’re also trying to change a diaper. Your money will end up in the wrong places or the diaper will go on backwards! In part, ticking off one item at a time on that to-do list can be a huge help here. You may also want to let other people take some of your workload/childcare duties so that your to-do list is smaller and you’re then free to give each task the attention necessary to do it well.
You don’t time block
I’m realistic that multitasking is a reality to a certain point for moms in particular. It’s the nature of having kids! But batching your work projects will help you be more efficient. And batching your parenting tasks is also a strategy to consider. One of the ways I’ve seen a HUGE increase in my work/home balance is by batching my home administrative tasks into one block of time each week and using The Sunday Basket. Setting aside dedicated time each week frees up my brain and energy the rest of the week. It’s the anti-multitasking solution!!
Creeping dissatisfaction
Multitasking promotes the idea that we aren’t good enough if we drop any of the balls we’re supposed to juggle. If you feel a creeping dissatisfaction with your achievements, it’s a sure sign you’re letting this negative belief get in your way. Overcome this by taking the time to celebrate achievements as they happen, rather than letting a myth make you dwell on everything else that you could have done.
It’s easier said than done to shake a belief that we’ve held for so long, but multitasking really is a myth. Help your business and your parenting by recognizing when it creeps in and using these tips to overcome it once and for all.