Context Switching is Killing You

Context Switching is killing you

Context Switching is killing you

Hustling in Reverse

Never getting enough done but feeling like you are a master at multitasking is at the core of why I felt like I never accomplished enough in my 24 hours.  I felt like I was starting a project but never could quite complete it and gave up.  My clients took first priority but even for them I felt like I was running behind.  To compensate I would stay up until 3 am to get it all done.  This would only last so long until I would crash for a few days and then start it all over again.  What I was doing is a concept called context switching or what I like to call hustling in Reverse.

What is Context Switching

Context switching originally referred to computers and how they would switch from one task to another or processing tasks simultaneously.  Ya’ll we are not computers!  We are not meant to do that efficiently despite what some may say.  For example, imagine that I have 4 tasks that take me 30 minutes each.  In my mind it should only take me 2 hours to complete these tasks.  However, each time I switch between tasks I have to add 15 – 20 minutes on to that because my brain needs that time to switch from one context to the next.  Now imagine I am working on a task for 30 minutes and I get a phone call.  In order to switch to the next task, it will take me time.  The more interruptions I have or multitasking I am doing, the more time it will take me to complete those 4 original tasks.  Instead of taking 2 hours to complete 4 tasks, it now takes me 3 hours or more.

Context switching chart

How do I Fix this

When it comes to planning out my tasks for the day, I regulate the same tasks into chunks for that day and that week as much as possible.  For example, I will do all my blogging for the week in one day.  My mind is focused on blogging and I don’t have to switch between product development, finances, marketing, and then back to blogging.  I set aside a chunk of time for education and a separate time for editing.  Want more fixes like this?  Make sure you sign up for our newsletter below.

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