As entrepreneurs, we end up getting stuck in a to-do list hamster wheel of busyness!

We end up feeling behind all the time on our own self-imposed deadlines and then, really struggle to balance our work and our lives so we end up trying to multitask. 

If that is you, if you end up trying to multitask to get more things done in a day, this blog post is for you! I'm going to share three reasons why multitasking doesn't make you more productive and what to do instead so you can get more things done but in less time, less chaos, and less stress!

Our brains are not made to multitask!

What is the first reason why multitasking does not make you more productive? Our brains are not made to multitask, simple as that!

We are not made to do more than one thing at once. Our brains are designed to just accomplish one thing at a time. What we end up thinking is, multitasking is really just switching between things super fast or maybe even super slow. So putting all that pressure on your brain to do more than one thing at once is going against its nature. 

It takes a lot more time to accomplish the few things that you're trying to accomplish at once and that is going to add so much stress onto your brain and onto yourself. A study on psychology today that showed how multi-taskers are 40% less productive and it can take as long as 25 minutes to resume working after an interruption or trying to switch to the other task. For example, if you end up checking Instagram while you are trying to write a blog post.

The best thing that we can do here is recognize, acknowledge and appreciate our human nature, our brains. This is where deep self-compassion comes into the picture.

What to do instead

When you find yourself trying to multitask because you feel behind or for whatever other reason, pause, remember that you, your brain just doesn’t work this way. 

Then figure out what is the one task that you want to focus on, write it down on a piece of paper and have that front and center for you to remember. 

This is a practice you're gonna keep coming back to. Just like if you've ever tried meditation and your brain starts thinking, you simply remember that you're thinking and come back to your breath. 

Multitasking decreases your creativity

The next reason why multitasking does not make you more productive is that it kills your creativity. 

When you're over there trying to switch between tasks, from task to task, your creativity is dampened, you probably have a lot harder time thinking outside of the box. Especially when you are trying to start your own business and be of service to other people, you're not going to be in that mindset or that frame of mind when you are just jumping from thing to thing. 

And let's be honest, how many times have you had a brilliant idea when you're washing the dishes or in the shower? It's because, during those times, you are most likely just focusing on one thing. 

The reason why that happens is that ideas are born from the prefrontal cortex, which is the forehead area, but this is the part of our brains that really truly can only focus on one thing at once. 

So, as an entrepreneur, you know you need your most brainpower and your most creativity so it's not going to make you more productive by multitasking.

What to do instead

The solution here, or the way to move forward, is to define clear boundaries around your creative or deep thought focused time. Try to uphold them as best as possible, obviously knowing that this again, is a practice. You are never going to be perfect at upholding your boundaries and perfectionism is just not possible. 

Multitasking takes you out of the present moment 

The third reason why multitasking does not make you more productive is that you are not living or working in the present moment. When we race through life without truly experiencing all the small simple things about it, we are experiencing much less.

When we continue to try to multitask, eventually it does start to erode our focus and our ability to pay attention and stillness becomes completely impossible for us to even imagine integrating into our lives. 

When you are present and add more mindfulness into your day-to-day, you are more able to focus and get more things done and do it without the stress and the chaos. 

What to do instead

So the solution, or way forward here, is to practice mindfulness. Practice more breathing exercises in your day-to-day. Schedule them in your calendar or put them on your to-do list as things that you need to do.

Ready to heal time scarcity and live into your values? Click here to get free + supportive resources!