Shifting from Multi-tasking to “Multi-Moding”!

Many of my clients, especially those in the senior executive realm (VPs and above) often complain about their inability to manage a variety of different tasks demanding different points of focus. They are extremely good at staying in one “mode” and at doing a variety of different tasks well in that mode. For example, in the “work mode” they will solve budget problems, deal with knotty customer issues, work headcount re-allocation to bring a project back on track, and respond to an irate customer on an hour-long phone call. Yet, when it comes to shifting their mode in another realm they often come far short. What is another realm? For them it is managing their finances, taking care of their pending personal matters, even keeping their LinkedIn Profile or résumé updated to keep themselves constantly marketable.

So, most of these executives are good at multitasking, yet they suck at being multimodal in how they engage themselves. Keeping your life in balance requires not just the multi-tasking ability, but even more importantly, how to be multi-modal and be effective appropriately. I use the word appropriately on purpose because, often, many modes require merely being present in that mode and not having to engage at the same level of effort as you do when you are solving a knotty work problem. For example, if you need to set up appointment with your physician all you need to do is to make that call and set up the appointment, nothing more. But, you must do this if no one else will do it for you. Your health and even future welfare may depend on that appointment and what you learn from it.

So, how does one manage the balance between being consumed by your work—often many people’s singular focus—and all the rest that governs your everyday life? Well, here is my prescription:

1. Make a list of categories of activities that govern your life. These categories can be: Finances, Personal relationships, Managing your career, Networking, and so on. Keep this list bounded, otherwise it can paralyze you.
2. Since your attention to your work is forced by the automatic structure that is a part of your life you do not need to include that element in THIS list. You must have separate Daily/Weekly/Monthly planner entries just for that.
3. If your work consumes 50 hours each week, then decide how much time you have left for all the other items in #1. Let us assume that it’s 10 hours (seven days in a week).
4. Now prioritize that list and ask yourself how you would like to spend that time (10 hours) for each of the items you just listed. For example, set aside 10 minutes each day to log-into your LinkedIn Home page and check what is going on. Or spend one hour some week updating your LinkedIn Profile and inviting new connections, and getting/asking for Recommendations, instead.
5. Find what times of the day on a rhythmic basis these modes are best suited for your available energy, focus, and action. Many such tasks can be done when you are not particularly alert or energized because all they need is you, not your most premium time! With the ubiquitous mobile devices it is much easier to now work  tasks while you are otherwise available, such as while waiting in line, driving, or even idling.
6.  Make the list visible so that you can look at it every day and see what progress you have made towards meeting your goals (time allocation-wise).
7. Ask someone within your household to hold you accountable. Give them the same list you are using and ask them to periodically query you on how you are doing.
8. If you cannot still find time to work this into your schedule and routinize this process, try getting up 30 minutes early each day and avail yourself that bonus half-hour for such tasks, no matter where you fit that into your day’s activity.
9. Monitor your progress on all the fronts on which you have now mounted deliberate assault. See how things have come back on track. This feedback will empower you to keep this routine and expand it to include items that are still not on your list.
10. Discipline yourself to integrate your work with rest of your life this way and in other ways. You’ll have a less stressful life and you will love how you feel about yourself. Use of mobile devices and tools such as iTunes make it possible to fill our time with meaningful activities resulting from better use of our “idle” time.

Good luck!