All posts by Shin

Shin Tsuboi is a business owner of Insight Management Inc, a management learning and consulting company. He also manages a "dojo" (a small school) of "Managementdo", the art of management.

The relationship between multitasking and mindfulness

Since the computer industry started to compete with “multitasking,” we also tend to do the same behavior. While calling to a client, you typing computer.  Furthermore, most of you put your smartphones on your desks and check SNS, during you are working.

Is multitasking efficient? Is it increase our productivity?

According to my experience, due to multitasking, I lack the accuracy of my work, have a lapse concentration and am mentally tired.

Especially, if you are in charge of marketing, you should be careful. The starting point of marketing activities is “observation of target customers.” You should carefully monitor them with curiosity. You appreciate the moment and use your imagination to create the best product or service.

So, how we can work effectively and efficiently?

Intuitively, if you have a lot of work, you tend to do more than one task at the same time, however, if you want to increase productivity, you should prioritize and complete them, one by one. This is counterintuitive, but it works.

Especially for creative works, you should be aware of the present moment with curiosity.  This is one of the ideas of design thinking, and also this is the definition of “mindfulness.”

When you have a lot of tasks, feel stress, and try to do multitasking, please take a deep breath and feel the present moment. You will understand how your mind was wandering.

“Every moment is a gift; every experience is an opportunity,” please be mindful.

(Photo: Mindfulness by Darragh O Connor)