It’s Time to Shift from Multitasking to Single-tasking

Most hiring managers are fond of asking job-seekers if they are good at multitasking. Though many jobs require workers to “wear many hats” and juggle multiple tasks at once, multitasking has the potential to backfire in a big way. The truth is many hiring managers prefer job candidates to respond to the multitasking question by stating those who attempt to do several things at once often prove ineffective.

The Power of Focusing

There is no sense spreading your attention out across several tasks. The better approach is to narrow your focus on the task at-hand. Though there are some positions such as secretaries and customer service representatives that require multitasking, most attorneys are well-served by focusing on one task at a time. This is a detail-oriented business. Even the slightest mistake can upend your case and push clients toward other attorneys.

Take a moment to think back to times in the past when you attempted to multitask and ended up making one or several mistakes. Trying to do too much at the same time yields low-quality. Furthermore, multitasking often makes your professional life so hectic that you end up missing deadlines and angering clients.

Focus, Take Your Time and Reap the Rewards

You are not Superman. You can only do so much with your limited time and energy. Narrow your focus on completing one task to perfection before moving on to the next task. This full dedication to the work in question empowers you to work to the best of your ability and please clients to the point that they refer your legal services to others. In other words, be mindful. Focus on single-tasking as opposed to multitasking and you will be a true professional in every sense of the word.

Shift Mental Gears With Precision

Plenty of people in favor of multitasking claim they can spread themselves across several projects at once without sacrificing accuracy or efficiency. In reality, the human brain is not good at focusing on several things at the same time. It is much easier to shift one’s mental focus from one subject to the next with considerable speed as opposed to moving back and forth between tasks and ultimately delaying the completion of each.

In reality, transitioning between activities wastes time, effort and attention on the process of the transitions. Those who zero in on one specific activity prove much more effective. Even if you believe your brain can shift its focus between tasks in a fast and efficient manner, the chances of mistakes are heightened with such transitions. As every attorney knows, even a minor mistake can lead to a lost case, a lost client and most importantly, lost revenue.