Multitasking makes it harder to reach goals.
This month we are focused on CLEANING IT UP. And by that, I mean reducing or cutting out the things in our lives that don’t serve us – and replacing them with things that do. So today I want to talk about something that almost ALL of us do, all the time. And it could actually be getting in the way of your results. It’s MULTI-TASKING. Now, we live in a culture that pushes the hustle HARD. We’re rewarded for trying to cram as much as humanly possible into our daily lives. If you can do one thing well, why not two?
Or three??
Or even five??
All at the same time! This focus on DOING IT ALL really gets kind of ridiculous. And it’s not that you CAN’T do it all! It’s just that you probably SHOULDN’T try to do it all AT THE SAME TIME. That’s because handling several things at once actually makes it LESS likely that you’ll do a good job at any of them. The truth is, when you tackle several things at once, you’re working AGAINST the way your brain actually functions.
You can’t focus deeply on more than one thing at a time because your brain is too busy splitting itself by trying to pay attention to all those different tasks. In fact, studies show that your IQ can actually DROP 15 points while you’re multitasking. That’s a LOT. This is the exact reason we only train clients 1-1. Not group classes like a lot of other studios. Yes, we could make more money seeing multiple people at once, but just as I mentioned the attention to detail doesn’t even compare.
So, What does this have to do with your goals? Well, for just one example, experts have found that people who multitask a lot have higher body weight and BMI than people who don’t. The theory is that multitasking affects the part of your brain – your prefrontal cortex – that’s responsible for self-control.
That’s because it becomes less active when your brain has to juggle all those different tasks at the same time. This means it’s even HARDER to make good decisions when it comes to your health and fitness goals! In fact, studies show people are more apt to zone out with their self-control when they are multi-tasking. Take snacking, for example. You might not even notice you’re doing it!
One on One Personal Training in Cleveland That is Laser Focused
So, if you want to be more productive … AND healthier, work on your LASER FOCUS. I always suggest that my clients use a timer to focus on ONE task for a set period of time, such as 30-45 minutes. When the timer goes off, they take a short break before coming back refreshed and ready for the next task.
And here’s the biggie – NO SNACKING or eating while you’re working. If you’re eating, just be present and enjoy your meal or snack. If you’re working, stay focused 100% on that. If you’re a regular multitasker, give yourself permission to do JUST ONE THING AT A TIME.
If you need help staying focused on your goals … and are tired of veering off track, just to start over again we always offer a free initial consultation and demo workout.