Calm female executive meditating taking break at work for mental balance, mindful businesswoman … [+]
In today’s work culture, we’re pulled in several different directions all at once. We’re expected to multitask to complete projects under tight deadlines. However, a new study found that only 2.5% of the population can effectively multitask. For the rest of us, the human brain is not capable of handling more than one concentrated task at a time. When we think we’re multitasking, we’re actually completing individual actions in rapid succession – we’re task switching, which is highly inefficient. Research has shown that task switching can even cause brief mental blocks, costing as much as 40% of someone’s productive time.
Henry Ford realized this when he introduced the assembly line in 1913 to build cars. Each person on the line had one task. During their 8-hour shift, they mastered their task. The assembly line remains one of the most efficient work systems today and is widely used in manufacturing with the use of assembly line robots.
Today, much of an 8-hour workday is spent doing busy work – responding to emails, attending meetings, and updating project management apps. We’re drawn in different directions and we’re getting burned out. A Gallup study found that three in ten millennials are very often or always burned out at work and seven in ten experience burnout to some degree. Topping the list of causes include unmanageable workload and unreasonable time pressures. Big surprise: the study cited that employees are 70% less likely to experience burnout when they have enough time to complete their work.
It’s not that the 8-hour workday doesn’t work, it’s that the 8-hour workday has shifted from doing one thing and doing it well to swimming in a sea of wondering what to do next only to get interrupted by the onslaught of technology or meetings.
UC Berkeley professor Morten Hansen coined the phrase: “Do less and obsess.” His research found that performance is not defined by the number of hours you work but rather by the work you do in those hours. He found that after 50 hours a week, performance decreases. He also found that when workers focus on fewer tasks, they achieve better results.
Unfortunately, this is contrary to our current corporate culture. But as an employee there are things you can do. Here are 5 tips to skip the busy work and get down to business.
There are a lot of resources available both free and paid including LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, and Coursera. Earn industry- or app-specific badges or certificates, for example, Facebook Certification. Ask your employer if they have completed a skills audit for the company and what training might be available. Take initiative to learn the skills you will need in the future workplace.
One of the ways you can discover if you’re in a purpose-driven career is to ask yourself these four questions:
You do this by never compromising your values or the integrity of your personal brand for short-term gains for yourself or your employer. And don’t downplay your contributions to a project or your role in the company. A Harvard study found that those who do not self-promote are less likely to be hired, promoted, or get a raise or bonus.
It’s OK to champion your work. You’ll find that your work will improve as you stand behind what you do.
Work should not be consumed by busyness. Busyness gives the appearance of having a lot to do, but in reality, very little is accomplished. Use these five tips to find real meaning and direction in your work by taking extra time to really focus on what matters most.
