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🎒 Microlesson

🪞 Reflect

How many apps and browser windows do you have open on your computer screen right now?

How many tasks are you working on?

💡 Concept

Even though you may feel more productive when you tackle several things at once, in reality, it takes up to 40% longer to complete tasks when you’re multitasking than when doing each thing separately. Multitasking also leads to more mistakes, stress, and burnout.

Working in a digital-first environment makes it even easier to fall into the multitasking trap. With a growing tool stack, countless notifications, and endless sources of information at your fingertips, you may find it harder and harder to tune out the noise and work effectively. That’s where monotasking comes to the rescue.

Monotasking means focusing on one task at a time until it’s completed. It sounds simple—just work on one thing at a time! And yet, the temptation to multitask can be tough to resist.

Here are a few simple steps you can take to make it easier to focus:

1️⃣ Choose one task to focus on. Not two. And definitely not five.

🪟 Open the apps and browser windows that are directly related to that task.

📵 Close all other apps and browser windows. Don’t leave anything open that is unrelated to your specific task!

🔕 Mute or disable your notifications.

✅ Focus on that one task until it’s completed.

🔁 Repeat.

The more you practice monotasking, the easier it will be to minimize distractions and preserve your energy and focus.

🎬 Take Action

Here are some things you can do to practice monotasking:

• Monotask for just 20 minutes and see what happens. Set a timer if that helps you.

• Use a tool like Freedom or Stayfocusd to block your access to distractions.

• Sign up for a virtual Caveday session, during which you are guided through focused monotasking group sessions.

• Reminder: close any browser tabs that you’re not using!

• Put your phone away when you’re working on your computer.

📄 Additional Resources

What is Deep Work? Examples, Benefits, and Access

✅ Check In

🧠 Keep Learning

Learn more about how to manage distractions when working remotely in our Remote Work Certification course.

📰 News

Check out our latest client success story, which summarizes the work we did with the Career Foundation!

🎁 Learn with your team!

Refer our weekly microlessons to your team members to learn as a group! Just follow the instructions in the section below to get started.