In today’s fast-paced world, creatives are often forced to juggle multiple projects. Multitasking may seem like a prerequisite that industry professionals must possess, but it can largely impact the quality and efficiency of creative work. So, in what ways does multitasking affect it and how can we resolve its issues?
1. The Dilemma of Multitasking in Creative Work
Multitasking is commonly perceived as a skill that exponentially increases productivity—why wouldn’t it, right? Handling multiple tasks at once means that you’ll get work in half the time it would take to do them individually. However, when done ineffectively, it can lead to multiple issues instead. Counterintuitively, multitasking can lead to human error, wasted time and burnout—fatal to creative artists.
2. Multitasking’s Impact on Creativity and Focus
Quality vs. Quantity
Multitasking is typically done in two ways. You either frequently switch between tasks or do them concurrently, like going from canvas to canvas or taking work calls while writing. When your mind has to jump between two or more things, your thoughts will likely jumble, leading to mistakes. Take the former example—multitasking writing and a phone call may lead you to type out the conversation at hand instead of the creative work. Your heart’s not in your work, impacting its quality—and you may end up taking even more time trying to fix what went wrong.
Cognitive Load
Constantly handling important tasks simultaneously can easily lead to an increase in cognitive load. This can snowball into mental fatigue, impairing creativity and efficiency. Stretching yourself thin, without allowing yourself to have breaks, might force you into a creative rut. Your efforts to improve output may put it to a halt.
3. Strategies to Maintain Focus when Multitasking
But that’s not to say you shouldn’t multitask at all. Everyone’s circumstances are different—you may be in a position where time is of the essence, or you could simply prefer to handle multiple pieces of work at once. So, how can you effectively multitask?
a. Prioritisation:
Decide which tasks are urgent and which are important, then arrange them by:
Urgent and Important
Important but Not Urgent
Not Important but Urgent
Not Important and Not Urgent
It helps you feel less overwhelmed since you’ll be arranging work in manageable and logical chunks.
b. Time Blocking:
Instead of juggling multiple tasks at the same time, allocate specific periods for different projects—a to-do list in the form of a calendar. For example, from 2 pm to 4 pm could be dedicated to Project A, and another time slot could be for Project B. It keeps you focused while allowing you to manage multiple tasks in a single day.
c. Batch Processing:
This is a practice where similar tasks are grouped to be completed in one fell swoop. In the context of pottery, this can be the throwing of clay into bowls of similar shapes, across projects. Batch processing would reduce the need for the constant switching of contexts, which can otherwise lead to unclear focus and mistakes.
d. Setting Clear Boundaries:
Physical separation (e.g., different workspaces) and mental separation (e.g., allocated time for tasks) are two ways to set clear boundaries between projects. This can help your brain switch gears between two or more tasks—different projects require different things from you, so you need to be in the relevant headspace.
f. Using Tools and Apps:
There are plenty of tools built for the organisation of multiple projects, such as task managers (e.g., Todoist, Asana, TESSR) and focus-enhancing apps (e.g., Forest, Focus@Will). These help establish focus, with effects similar to when you set clear boundaries.
g. Regular Breaks:
Taking regular breaks between tasks or milestones to recharge can help you stay focused on the task at hand—methods like the Pomodoro Technique allow you to balance work and rest effectively. That technique specifically refers to the segmenting work into intervals, where breaks would be sandwiched in between.
4. Balancing Creativity with Practicality
Flexibility vs. Structure
While this might not be applicable to every artist out there, structured workflows may feel stifling to your creative process—but without it, meeting tough deadlines across several projects can prove difficult. A solution for this can be to set a clear framework while leaving space for adaptability—buffer time and constant review of your workflow can aid this.
Delegation
Consider delegating tasks to others if you have multiple projects on your hand. Assistants or team members are there to lend a hand, so reach out before you burn out. Evenly distributed workloads allow for less stress and more focused work.
5. Developing a Personal Workflow
Artists are highly individualistic people, so what works for others may not work for you. Instead, tweak the tips to your preferences and constantly adapt them to the ever-changing circumstances.
Customising Approaches
Experiment with different time management techniques and tools to develop a workflow specific to you and your workstyle. You may feel as if you don’t have the time to do so—but remember that if you’re working inefficiently, time is spent either way. So, don’t hesitate to try new things.
Continuous Improvement
Sticking to one workflow rigidly may not work all the time. Due to outside factors or some company’s workflow changes, regularly reviewing and refining the way you approach balancing various tasks is important, as your needs and what is demanded of you constantly evolve.
Conclusion
Organisation, time management, focus and balance are key factors in balancing focus with multitasking. Staying efficient can be difficult, but experiment with different strategies and you’ll eventually find a rhythm that works for you. Don’t give up on better outcomes and enhanced productivity by staying in your comfort zone.
Author Bio
From Malaysia, Leia Emeera is a writer at TESSR and a published author. She has been putting pen to paper ever since she learned how to, and has an anthology to her name, titled 'Ten'. Leia loves music, games and her beloved labrador retriever, George. She aims to further her studies in English Literature and Creative Writing the moment her gap year ends. 'Till then, you will find her sitting behind a desk, writing with TESSR.
Connect with her on LinkedIn: Leia Emeera
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