What is Multitasking?
Multitasking is when you perform two or more tasks simultaneously and switch back and forth from each task. Whether it be checking your feed while doing work or texting while walking, you are constantly being thrown with information from numerous sources.
Although it may be viewed as an efficient thing to do, it actually does the opposite.
How do you go about your day when there are a lot of tasks on your plate? Do you try to do them all at once? Or do you make reasonable time for each one? How do you even know if each task can be done within its time or by the end of the day?
Multitasking often makes us less productive. Having that constant interruption of information brings on higher stress levels which damages our brains and affects our mental health.
Why Mental Health Is Important
Mental health affects your thoughts, emotions and behaviors. With a positive mental health, it can help you engage in work, school and other activities productively and effectively. Additionally, it also contributes towards the health of acquired relationships and it allows you to deal and cope with the stresses of life.
Without taking care of your mental health, you are leading yourself towards more severe problems. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides early warning signs:
- Distancing yourself from the usual activities
- Having little to no energy
- Feeling unusually angry, worried, upset, confused, or scared
If you think you may be experiencing some signs, please do not be afraid to get some help. Here are 10 Ways to Look After Your Mental Health:
- Talk About Your Feelings
- Keep Active
- Eat Well
- Drink Sensibly
- Keep in Touch
- Ask for Help
- Take a Break
- Do Something You’re Good At
- Accept Who You Are
- Care for Others
The 80/20 Power Grid™
However many days we each have in this life, we experience each day in turn. Each day contains only so many hours. Our attention can be directed at only so many things. Attempts to cheat time through multi-tasking are futile and perhaps destructive.
The 80/20 Power Grid™ is a tool to help you focus on what matters most so you can do, be and have what matters most to you.
The tool works because it is built upon the 80/20 Power Law itself. The 80/20 Power Law is found throughout nature and human civilization.
It is stated in many ways, typically as about 80 percent of the impact of anything is due to 20% of the input factors. For example, 80 percent of the profit is due to 20% of the products or services sold; or, 80% of the sales are due to 20% of the customers.
That is, only a few things really matter and the things that do matter, matter exceedingly so.
How the 80/20 Power Grid™ works—unlike an endless To-Do List that tricks us into thinking we can do everything eventually, it forces you to decide upon the eight things that matter most and within these eight items, which is very most important, which come next and so on.
What the 80/20 Power Grid™ is—it is a simple, hierarchical grid upon which you enter what matters most.
In its printed form, it looks like the one her that you can download.
And, coming soon, you can download the app and use it on any device.
80/20 Power Grid™ Example
Here is a simple UI that you will see when you use the 80/20 Power GridTM Application.
The 80/20 Power Grid can be built on an annual, quarterly, monthly or daily basis. In the example provided below, I have built my 80/20 Power Grid on a monthly basis based on 10 Ways to Look After Your Mental Health.
Notice how only 8 of the 10 can be placed on this Power Grid. The idea is to figure out the 8 most important things and focus only on those 8 things.
Realizing this, I took the time to figure out which of these 10 I found most important by asking myself questions.
Some questions to start off with include:
- What do I want to do within a (year, quarter, month or day)?
- Where do I want to be within a (year, quarter, month or day)?
- What do I want to accomplish within a (year, quarter, month or day)?
The next step is to rank the 8 things. The ranking of the 8 also matters because the first one must always be prioritized first.
Everyone will rank their 8 differently. Some common ways include:
- Doing the easiest task to the hardest task
- Doing the hardest task to the easiest task
- Doing the task that will build on to the next task
Personally, I rank my 8 starting with the hardest task then proceeding with easier tasks. By getting rid of the hardest task, the rest won’t be as bad.
This is how I use the 80/20 Power GridTM Application.
For those who are interested, here is more information about our app. Get started today.
Try the 80/20 Power Grid™ Free
