You Can't Multitask, So Stop Trying

Given the nature of their jobs, most in-house counsel tend toward multi-tasking.  But it is not a particularly effective way to work, and few of us are good at it.  Because technology makes it impossible to avoid multi-tasking altogether, Paul Atchley recommends tht we take steps to minimize this bad habit, including:

• Make an effort (to do tasks one at a time).
• Know when to close your door (literally close your door to minimize interruptions).
• Admit that not all information is useful (e.g., set aside specific time for reading non-crutial emails).

Read Paul's Harvard Business Review blog post at : You Can't Multitask, So Stop Trying

How (and Why) to Stop Multitasking

Because I tend toward multi-tasking, I found a scary read in How (and Why) to Stop Multitasking.  Peter Bergman says in his HBR blog post:

• When multi-tasking, "our productivity goes down by as much as 40%."
• "Heavy multi-taskers are less competent at doing several things at once than light multi-taskers."
• According to a study, "people distracted by incoming email and phone calls saw a 10-point fall in their IQs."

In-house counsel should know that smartphones, computers, meeting schedules and other demands of the job can create an environment conducive to multitasking.  Consider whether you need to modify your multi-tasking habits to be more effective as in-house counsel, and try out Bergman's one-week experiment.

See Bergman's blog post at this link: How (and Why) to Stop Multitasking.