#23 Multitasking is overrated with one major exception
When we are busy there’s a temptation to multitask our way through our to-do lists.
But attempting to tackle many chores at once can be counterproductive, with tasks often ending up either partially or poorly completed.
One of my favourite productivity books is Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy. The author convincingly and comprehensively counteracts the myth of multitasking, instead insisting we should pick our biggest, ugliest frog (our top priority, hardest task) and eat that first with a singular focus.
I’d add a caveat to that rule based on personal experience.
I love exercise, with running and weightlifting being my two main poisons of choice.
When I pound the pavement or head to the gym, I listen to audiobooks and podcasts over music because I relish the chance to learn while I work out.
Time is a precious and often scarce resource. I like to carve time to learn and open my mind where I can, but often the pursuit of knowledge falls by the wayside as a priority.
But in recent years I realised that I already set aside several hours to exercise every week, so why not piggyback some learning on top of it?
I first gave this a try after falling out of love with reading books when I tackled the NHS Couch to 5k programme during lockdown and have been sold ever since.
It’s multitasking with a lowercase ‘m’ and probably the only exception to the rule that productivity should be focused on a single activity.
If you like audiobooks or podcasts and can listen to them safely while exercising, give it a whirl and see if it works for you.
Like these Dispatch posts?
Join my newsletter community and receive the Sunday Roundup where I collect and curate them for readers once per week. You'll also receive full access to all my blogs and free resources.
Benjamin Craske
Member discussion