{"id":52271,"date":"2016-09-06T11:15:59","date_gmt":"2016-09-06T15:15:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=52271"},"modified":"2016-09-27T17:19:08","modified_gmt":"2016-09-27T21:19:08","slug":"single-tasking-stress-increase-productivity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/lifestyle\/single-tasking-stress-increase-productivity\/","title":{"rendered":"Single-Tasking: The Secret to Less Stress, More Productivity"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Single
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You\u2019ve got a smartwatch on your wrist, Siri in your palm, and emails notifications popping up on your computer screen all day long. Nope, you\u2019re not the only one who\u2019s been trying to master multi-tasking all these years.<\/p>\n

Yet, the truth is our brains can\u2019t actually<\/em> multi-task. Why? Our minds\u00a0are programmed to think about just one thing at a time. So what we\u2019re really doing is switching from one chore to the next and back<\/a> again\u2026and it\u2019s not helping our productivity. Worse yet: We\u2019re not being mindful of why or how we\u2019re doing each task, because we\u2019re so rushed to move on to the next one.<\/p>\n

In fact, we finish about\u00a050 percent less when attempting to tackle a few duties at once, instead of focusing on each one individually, says James Rouse<\/a>, naturopathic doctor, author of Think Eat Move Thrive<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>and co-founder of Healthy Skoop<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Stressed? These GIFs Will Help You Relax, Stat<\/a><\/p>\n

While experts used to give tips on how to improve multi-tasking skills, that approach to plowing through a to-do list is no longer in vogue. What they advocate works better: Being present in the moment so you can concentrate<\/a> on one activity \u2014 and one activity only. In other words, single-tasking. (Translation: Putting your phone away, way more often.)<\/p>\n

To help you get more done in less time, de-stress<\/a> and actually enjoy life a little more, we had Dr. Rouse share his tips on becoming a better single-tasker. So stash away your smartphone, turn off your email notifications and read on for the need-to-know. Your challenge: Do not do 101 other things while reading this article.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>6 Signs That You\u2019re Exhausted (Not Just Tired)<\/a><\/p>\n

7 Productivity Tips for Living in the Moment <\/strong><\/h3>\n

1. Start with one change.
\n<\/strong>Eating lunch while catching up on email; G-chatting while writing a work proposal; scouring social media during a corporate meeting. Are you guilty of these multi-tasking crimes? Don\u2019t worry, so is everyone else. What you should do instead is\u00a0pick one activity and focus on it, knowing that you\u2019ll see better results from your efforts.\u00a0\u201cPeople think of single tasking as underachieving,\u201d says Dr. Rouse. \u201cWe have to dispel the myth that if you\u2019re only doing one thing you\u2019re not doing as much.\u201d\u00a0Putting more energy into one thing really means\u00a0you’ll get more out of it.<\/p>\n

Approach your day-to-day differently by choosing one activity that you\u2019ll solely concentrate on this week. That could mean eating breakfast mindfully<\/a>, putting your phone in a drawer while checking emails in the afternoon or simply commuting to work without your normal podcast<\/a> or book. The more you learn to let go of distractions (even during small tasks), the more you\u2019ll be able to expand that streamlined focus into other projects.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>How to Reduce Stress at Work by 40 Percent<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Encourage single-tasking with others.
\n<\/strong>\u201cMulti-tasking is contagious,\u201d says Dr. Rouse. \u201cWe\u2019re social creatures who see people doing three or four things at one time and we want to emulate what we see. So it\u2019s hard not to multi-task when you\u2019re surrounded by it.\u201d To counteract that, eliminate disruptions when you\u2019re around other people. If you\u2019re out for drinks<\/a> with a friend or having dinner<\/a> with your family, put your phones away and turn off the TV so everyone is present for that time. (Seems simple, but do you ever actually do it?)<\/p>\n

Having your phone in your pocket or face down on the table doesn\u2019t count, either. As soon as you feel the vibration of a text or see your device light up, your mind will instantly go elsewhere. \u201cNo matter how much willpower you think you have, you won\u2019t be able to resist all the other things going on around you,\u201d says Dr. Rouse. \u201cSo don\u2019t even allow yourself that temptation.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Is Stress Hurting Your Relationship? Here\u2019s How to Fix It<\/a><\/p>\n

3. Begin your day the right way.
\n<\/strong>Lots of people sleep with their phone by their bed, but we challenge you to put it across the room. That way, you won\u2019t feel obligated to check it before you even put your feet on the ground in the morning. Bringing technology into your sleep space has a way of triggering distractions and stress, Rouse says. Not to mention, it can keep you from getting enough zzz\u2019s. Start your day with a light stretch<\/a> or a deep breath, so you\u2019re present right from the start.<\/p>\n

4. Take a walk outside.
\n<\/strong>One of the best, most mood-boosting ways to learn to single-task is to get outside more often, says Dr. Rouse. It\u2019s not just the endorphins that will instantly make you feel happier<\/a>. Walk without your phone and you won\u2019t be tempted to check emails or respond to texts. Then you\u2019ll be able to tune into the sights, smells and noises around you. Don\u2019t have time for a mid-day hike? If you\u2019ve been running around doing what felt like 100 things at once, take a 10-minute stroll<\/a> outside when you get home from the office. We promise it\u2019ll have some pretty great payoffs, and even if you have more work to do, you\u2019ll feel much more focused afterward.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>22 Simple Steps to a Healthy, Happy Morning<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe greatest way to avoid distraction is to avoid procrastination.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

5. Schedule time for your toughest task.
\n<\/strong>Whether you often put off a to-do like writing, drawing or creating lesson plans, set aside the same time every day to tackle it, even if the creative juices aren\u2019t flowing. \u201cThe greatest way to avoid distraction is to avoid procrastination,\u201d says Dr. Rouse. If at noon every day, you sit down and just start typing, your brain will adjust\u00a0to it. Then, the work will flow better \u2014 without you feeling like you need to check Facebook for hours until a great idea pops in your head.<\/p>\n

6. Give someone a squeeze.
\n<\/strong>Think about the last time you gave someone a really big bear hug. Time seemed to stop in that moment, right? Whenever you need just a few seconds to get grounded and have a moment of Zen, Dr. Rouse suggests snuggling up to someone to bring you back to the present. In fact, hugs release the hormone, oxytocin<\/a> (aka the \u201clove\u201d or \u201cbonding\u201d hormone), which can help reduce stress<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>7 Super Sneaky Benefits of Mindfulness<\/a><\/p>\n

7. Never stop trying
\n<\/strong>We get it, focusing on just one activity at a time can seem impossible. Life often pulls us in different directions, so it\u2019s hard to stay straight. But as long as you keep working at single-tasking \u2014 try it with different duties throughout the day or week \u2014 the better you\u2019ll get, the more you\u2019ll accomplish\u00a0and\u00a0you’ll feel\u00a0relaxed and productive. Dr. Rouse\u2019s favorite way to look at it: \u201cTo the expert\u2019s mind, nothing is possible. But to the beginner\u2019s mind, everything is.\u201d Being a student at single-tasking will make it more enjoyable and easier.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Is multi-tasking actually slowing you down? The best way to focus, increase productivity and live in the moment is to single-task. Here\u2019s how to do it. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,12,15],"tags":[202,229,282,341,360],"class_list":["post-52271","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-lifestyle","category-mental-health","category-stress","tag-brain","tag-mindfulness","tag-stress","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2stress-management"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52271","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52271"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52271\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}