How to be more productive: Step one, stop multitasking

Finding it hard to get stuff done? Household chores, personal admin, work – it can be hard to summon the energy to start and complete something. We’ve all been there – a work report is due but you get lost in emails; you should vacuum, but you end up doing laundry. The task you absolutely need to do doesn’t get done and it continues to prey on your mind.

The top tip from productivity experts is to stop multitasking. Multitasking is an easy trap to fall into. It may make us feel more productive in the moment, but research shows that it rarely produces the best results, says Keelin O’Dwyer, behavioural psychologist at online therapy platform, Fettle.ie. “It often impacts the quality of our work and leaves us vulnerable to making mistakes,” says O’Dwyer.

“Instead try to focus on one task at a time and that way you will complete that task to a higher standard in less time which gives you more space to move on to the next task,” she says. “Then your work will be better overall and to a higher standard.”

Break it down

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Whether it’s cleaning out the attic or sorting your pension, sometimes the task is either so boring or seemingly insurmountable we just can’t begin. “If it’s a very big task, it can feel intimidating. We can’t even see how we can start, so we tend to get overwhelmed and we procrastinate,” says O’Dwyer. She recommends breaking down the task into bite-sized milestones. “Then you are more likely to get started and to continue it throughout your week.”

Five-minute rule

You can do almost anything for five minutes, even something you don’t like. “By promising you will only spend five minutes on a task, you eliminate any of the excuses that stop you from starting,” says O’Dwyer. Do five minutes, then do something nourishing, she advises. Make yourself a cup of your favourite herbal tea or spend time with a pet. “All these five minutes build up and the task is done before you know it. It’s just when the task looks too big and you haven’t broken it down, it becomes too overwhelming and you don’t know where to start.”

Take a break

When you are out the door with work or study, taking a break seems counter-intuitive. Research shows that doing so, however, actually decreases our stress and increases our productivity. If you can get out for a walk, great, but even taking short breaks of 10 minutes at a time is good. “Stepping away from your work gives your mind a rest and you will return to the task with renewed motivation. It also increases your creativity too, so it improves the quality of your work,” says O’Dwyer.

What kind of break?

Scrolling through Insta or stalking LinkedIn doesn’t count as a break. Neither does googling how to be more productive. That’s not really going to give you the refreshment you need. “Do something you can do mindfully,” says O’Dwyer. “Take a walk mindfully, noticing nature, drink a cup of coffee mindfully away from the desk – so doing anything with your senses will renew your energy.” she says. “You need to be giving your mind a break. If you are at a screen and then just going to another screen, it’s not a different kind of stimulus and it’s not going to restore you in the same way.”

Go with your gut

Some of us are larks, others night owls. Instead of trying to force productivity all day, tune into when you are usually at your most productive, says O’Dwyer. “It’s really important that you become in tune with yourself and notice when you hit your stride. Identify when you are most productive and organise your daily schedule around that to get the most out of your time. That’s an excellent way to be more productive.”