Are you managing multiple projects? We’ve all tried multitasking, only to discover it doesn’t work! We all have 24 hours in the day, so how come some people can accomplish more, while other struggle to keep up?
My wife asked me a question the other day that is related to this topic. She said, “How many tabs do you have open in your browser?”
It came as I was telling her about my latest idea of coordinating an international group travel adventure for friends and family (let me know if you’re interested, by the way).
I had also spent a week ramping up a business idea I’d put on hold a year ago. This is in addition to my online LEGO reselling business and, of course, my work as a productivity coach and host of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast.
Oh, did I mention I’m also training for the Army Ten Mile race in October, spending time with family, and my full-time job as a nonprofit fundraiser?
Maybe it was a fair question…
Actually, I love the analogy. We’ve all had that old computer that slows down if you have too many applications or tabs open at once. (Wait a minute—was my wife calling me old)?
The same is true for us. If you try to do too much, you can get bogged down and nothing gets done, or at least nothing gets done well.
Here’s the truth: even with a big screen and multiple windows open at once, I can only work in one browser at a time. The same is true with our projects and goals.
Why Multitasking Fails
Regardless of what your projects are—professional, personal, or purpose-driven—we can get in trouble if we are trying to do too much.
And let’s be honest. There is no such thing as multitasking. Sure, we can have multiple projects going on at once, but we can only do one thing at a time. And if you’re not careful, you could be hurting multiple projects by trying to spread yourself so thin.
So, what strategies can we use to help us navigate the murky waters having more than one project at a time?
Set Clear Priorities to Manage Multiple Projects Effectively
Having a clear understanding of your priorities is critical for managing multiple projects. And the way we do that is first understanding our values.
Believe it or not, our values change throughout our lifetime. In our 20s and 30s, we value starting a family, launching our career, and chasing the next adventure more than planning for retirement and spending time with extended family.
Knowing your values can help you set a vision for the future. You may want to create a long-term vision by asking what you want your life to look like in 10 years. Next you might break that down into smaller pieces—where will you be in five years? Three years? Next year?
Armed with that vision, you can start setting goals that will help you reach your 1-year vision and are aligned with your values.
Use a Sunday Strategy to Plan Your Week and Boost Productivity
Now that we have all these goals set to help us reach our vision for the future, it comes down to having a plan to accomplish it all. This is why my Sunday Strategy ritual is so important. (Hear more about my Sunday Strategy in Episode 6 of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast).
My Sunday Strategy allows me to look at everything I have going on and assign certain days for each project or task. I’m only working on one thing at a time, but I’ve mapped out my time, so I know what that one thing is each day.
In just 15 minutes each Sunday, I have a strategy I can follow to maximize my time so I can accomplish my most important tasks. This strategy not only helps me prioritize my tasks, it gives me a playbook I can use each day to make the most of my time.
Time Blocking: The Best Way to Stay Focus on One Project at a Time
If you really want to take your productivity to the next level, try time blocking. Time blocking is a strategy to move projects and tasks from your Sunday Strategy into your daily calendar.
Time blocking helps you stay focused on one thing and one thing only. Best of all, it’s super simple. Look at your calendar and assign blocks of time during your day for each project you will work on.
Of course, start by scheduling your highest priority projects or tasks first to make sure they get done. Use larger blocks of time for critical projects that require a lot of thinking, writing, or deep work.
Try bundling several low-priority tasks together during times of the day when your energy is low or you’re often distracted.
Time blocking only works if you honor that time and hold it sacred. That may mean closing the office door to keep your coworkers from interrupting you. I also recommend setting an alarm to let you know when it’s time to move to the next task.
Managing Multiple Projects Without Multitasking
Having multiple projects happening at once is not a bad thing. In fact, it’s good to be pursuing your professional, personal and purpose-driven goals at all times. The key is how you manage all of those tasks.
Structuring your time effectively is one big thing that I include in my coaching programs. I love seeing people realize that not having enough time is usually just an excuse and they really can achieve all their goals.
If you start feeling overwhelmed, ask yourself how many browser tabs you have open. If it’s too many, use some of the tips above to prioritize and focus your time to fit in your most important tasks.
Don’t forget, I offer a free copy of my Sunday Strategy worksheet and guide for everyone who signs up for my mailing list. You can find it at mysundaystrategy.com.