PIQNIC - the antidote to multitasking

According to science, there’s no such thing as multitasking. Studies show that bouncing from one task to the other makes us less productive, and more likely to make mistakes. By dividing our attention, we are diluting our focus and less likely to accomplish our goals. Plus, you are getting more stressed and performing worse than those who single-task. So why are we doing it then? 

Multitasking in the office

At any one time, there are multiple apps vying for our attention. We think that by switching between tasks, we are optimising our time and getting more done. What we are actually doing, is trying to make our brains do two things at once. 

According to a RescueTime survey 50, 000 knowledge workers spend on average 40.1% of their day multitasking with email and IM.  That's because even if it’s not explicitly stated, we’re expected to check emails and respond to message right away. In fact, over 70% of people keep their inbox open all day long, yet only 20% have a plan with how and when they deal with email. (Rescuetime)

Moreover, the more devices, tools, meetings, and tasks we use during our workday, the more likely we are to multitask.

How to stop multitasking

The modern workplace is designed to promote multitasking. There are lots of time management and productivity management articles that give you pointers on how to stop. But what if your work environment is harming your efforts to single task and improve your productivity? You may need to get rid of some tools and apps in order to achieve this goal. 

Forbes recommends some actions that can help you on a personal level:

• Make it clear that you don’t want to be distracted
• Turn off your email notifications
• Turn your phone off when you’re not using it
• Make a to-do list
• Prioritise the most challenging tasks
• Schedule multiple breaks

On a corporate level, PIQNIC is a software platform that can help you to stop multitasking and be more productive. By removing the need for multiple apps and software, you eliminate the need to switch between them. That means less distraction and less time refocusing. 

With PIQNIC you can plan your day’s tasks ahead of time. You can set goals and reminders for each task you want to accomplish. You can easily see your to-do list, and tick off what has been done. Your schedule per day is set out for you as you go along, which means you can track and limit time spent per task within the PIQNIC platform. Reviewing the day to plan the next day is easy, and so is reviewing your week.

Distractions are minimized since you are using the PIQNIC platform for messaging. All the information is contained per project and progress for each team member is tracked here. Tasks can be easily delegated and decision-making can be assigned. Since you know who is doing what, how they are progressing and what each person is busy with unnecessary communication and meetings are eliminated.

The PIQNIC team has spent a lot of time looking at how people work and making this platform easy to use, fun, and very practical. The aim is to simplify team collaboration, workflow, and document management. In turn, this frees up a lot of time for you to do what is important, and to accomplish that single task nirvana you're looking for. It creates a perfect environment for productivity.

If your productivity is a priority to you, get in touch with PIQNIC for a free, no-obligation demo today.