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88% of small business owners say multitasking is necessary to reach their goals. In the same SurePayroll survey, about half admit to working on 3 or more ‘tasks’ at a given time in order to meet the demands of their day.

We have all heard the saying work smarter not harder encouraging us to find efficient and effective ways to tackle our to-dos. But what if achieving your goal had less to do with how much you worked and more to do with strengthening your ability to FOCUS?

The average attention span has shortened as a result of modern technology use, especially for those whose job requires the use of multiple digital apps. Even when we have the right environment to focus on our work, many of us have been conditioned to self-interrupt with e-mail and social media. How often do you check your inbox or smartphone for notifications?

The art of focus requires self-discipline to remain present in the moment (not letting our thoughts wonder to past or future), as well as the ability to connect to what matters in that moment (and not what is going on across the room or on Facebook). If a project or task isn’t meaningful to you or if the outcome isn’t tied to a significant reward or consequence, you might struggle getting the job done. On the other hand, individuals who feel equally engaged and challenged in their work, have an easier time finding focus and flow.

Maybe an average day looks like this: you respond to incoming emails while simultaneously working on a report and trying to snag a few bites of your lunch. Sound familiar? Or, maybe you’re the eager overachiever, trying to tackle three projects at once only to feel exhausted at the end of the day without having the pleasure of crossing anything off your to-do list.

The truth is multitasking doesn't work. While it may help you feel busy, researchers show multitasking can reduce productivity by up to 40%.

Focus on Mastery vs. Multi-tasking

Multitasking is shown to increase stress levels and degrade your attention span. There are specialized neurons in your brain whose job is to help you identify what in your environment is ‘worthy of attention’, and help you focus and tune out unwanted distractions. If you are constantly shifting your attention between two or more tasks, it requires added mental effort to re-find your flow and reach the point where you are actually generating results.

I love the quote, “focus is a competitive advantage” spoken by Apoorva Mehta. Your brain likes it and functions at its best, when you give your undivided attention to one thing at a time. At first this may seem difficult if you are accustomed to the thrill of multitasking, but with consistent practice it will get easier. As you continue to focus and follow through with one task at a time, you may help strengthen your prefrontal cortex, lengthen your attention span, and improve your memory.

Take some time to reflect on your strengths. What about your workstyle helps you stay focused and be effective with your time? What personal habits or tendencies sabotage your productivity and your ability to achieve your goal? Most of us have at least one behavior in the workplace that is so engrained it feels like the right thing to do, but doesn’t align with our goal or drive results.

Flex Your Focus Muscles

Find routines and habits, such as time blocking, that allow you to focus your efforts in one direction. This helps you improve productivity as well as your ability to manage your energy output and prevent burnout.
Next time you want to get ahead on your to-do list, make an intentional practice of focusing on one deserving task and following through until it is complete. Once you get started it is best to ride that momentum for 25 minutes to 2 hours so that you can harness your most productive brain power and preserve your mental energy.
To help prevent self-interruption, dedicate a few strategic blocks of time within your workday to manage your inbox or check your social media. If you struggle to ignore incoming emails and notifications as they come in, adjust your notification settings or put your cellphone in a desk drawer to remove the temptation.

Mastering your ability to tune in and follow through with one task at a time could help you reduce stress and increase your success. Are you ready to mitigate multitasking and find your focus?