This Fulton County Daily article and a conversation with a respected advisor prompted me to ponder upon the efficiency or myth of efficiency in multi-tasking.
Generational differences certainly attribute to how well a twenty-something versus a forty-something can handle incoming and outgoing information through multiple tools. I personally tend to need a nice balance. When I’m reading and trying to stay alert to updates about news I want multiple sources but I want to manage those sources to fit my own needs. I need to focus on a single task at a time to accomplish my goals.
This need to focus doesn’t mean I’m not capable of completing multiple tasks in a short time frame. In fact, what I have discovered is that the more tasks I have to finish, the more efficient I am. Those tasks just have to build upon one another.
The best organizing tool I have in my possession is a pen and notepad – I can make a quick list of the things that have to be done. Then, I sign-in, tune up, turn on, the tools necessary to gather the data and deliver the answer.
What is your best organizational tool? Do you function well with many things at once or do you slow everything down enough to accomplish one goal at time? How do you train your employees, how do they train you?
Posted by answermaven 
