Copyright 2005 So-lu'shunz Management Services
The bad news is if you’ve been trying to multi-task, you’ve
probably discovered what organizational psychologists have
observed to be decreasing accuracy and productivity in post
layoff climates. Multi-tasking is not a sustainable answer to
the" too much to do and too few to do it" problem! The brain’s
executive control processes, the resource allocators, are
overstressed and the result is a measurable time-cost.
The good news is there is a way to get it all done – efficiently
and without undue stress on your mental and emotional resources
– juggling! The difference between the two is quite simple, and
yet critical to your success. Multi-tasking requires multiple
items (responsibilities, tasks or deadlines) in hand - - all at
the same time. Juggling require only one item (responsibility,
task or deadline) in hand at a time, though often briefly and on
a recurring basis.
I recently went to a small traveling circus with my
grandchildren and was fascinated with the juggling clown. He
circled the main tent with one of his fellows, chatting amiably
and smiling at the audience, all the while seeming to pay no
attention to the 5 balls he was juggling. The result appeared
effortless – not once did he falter, lose his rhythm, or drop a
ball.
An examination of his secrets will translate to our success.
1. Develop rhythm and flow of motion.
Practice makes perfect. My clown friend did not achieve his
flawless rhythm without practice. Achievement comes with time
and dedication to the process, and perfection comes with
repetition. Work the process and the process will work for you.
2. Rehearse concentration.
Rhythm and flow are not self-generated, nor self-perpetuating,
so the juggler must guard against distractions until the process
is familiar and routine. (We'll discuss this area in greater
depth in an upcoming article.)
3. Keep your perspective clear.
The successful juggler must keep all items peripherally within
the field of vision in order to be where he needs to be to catch
each as it comes around. Concentrating on what is in hand, the
successful juggler must all the while be peripherally aware.
4. Practice giving attention to the moment.
The accomplished juggler practices focusing on the issue,
however briefly it is in hand, without sacrificing awareness of
the next thing approaching. It is often not the amount of time
spent on an issue, but the degree of focus given to it that will
make the difference between success and failure.
5. Be confident.
This is the key ingredient to all successful juggling. An
accomplished juggler knows her ability. Regardless of the hours
of practice and the years of experience, she will never keep it
all flowing through her hands if she doesn’t think she can.
Practice all of the above and if you drop a ball, and you surely
will, don’t beat yourself up. Check first to see if you are
trying to juggle too much. Peter Drucker, the highly respected
management guru, put it perfectly when he observed, “nothing is
so useless as doing efficiently what should not have been done
at all.” Here is where an accountability partner is invaluable –
employ their assistance in gaining perspective on your
particular juggling act.
If you falter or fumble, check the list and determine where you
missed it, make the correction, and start over again. Jugglers
are not born; they’re made. With determination and practice, you
will begin to see the various areas of your life coming into
clearer focus; patterns will emerge and balance will be the
result.
Begin today to gain, regain, and maintain control of your life
by becoming an accomplished juggler and taking your juggling act
on the road - see you at the circus!
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