Once you become more confident in your ability to multitask, start planning your day ahead . You will then realize the following about most of your tasks:<ul><li>They repeat at regular intervals</li><li>Some require more concentration than others</li><li>Many of them relate to each other</li></ul>This understanding will help you to switch assignments, offering the information you need to become better organized. Once you reach this stage, consider creating to-do lists one, two, three weeks beforehand .

 Plan ahead

Efficient multitasking can be easily achieved if you understand its true meaning. You will be able to deal with more than one project as long as you aren’t trying to complete tasks at the same time. Finally, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Like any other skill, multitasking is something you develop over time. Build it up step by step and learn from your mistakes. You will notice the positive results sooner than you expect.

Start improving your multitasking skills now

A flawless to-do list is one of the keys to good multitasking. And the secret behind it is a thorough understanding of the differences between urgent (tight deadlines) and important (long-term sustainability) matters.For instance, try applying the <a href="https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_91.htm">Eisenhower’s Principle</a>. It says you should prioritize your tasks in the following sequence:<ul><li>Important and urgent;</li><li>Important but not urgent;</li><li>Not important but urgent;</li><li>Not important and not urgent.</li></ul>

Distinguish urgent from important

To better manage task organization, be aware of your limits. Your day has 24 hours. Your resources are what they are. Above all, you have your own personality to respect. In other words, before deciding how to multitask, you need to draw a realistic picture of the scenario.Of course, you can always expand the above with the use of technology. Just keep in mind the number of projects or assignments you are truly capable of managing and completing within your working hours.

Accept your limits

However, while caffeine isn’t the villain many people used to think, drinking it too often can have a negative impact on multitasking skills.An excessive amount of caffeine can raise your blood pressure, cause insomnia, and increase irritability. Its withdrawal effects can also lead to several issues, from headaches to anxiety. All this together can destroy your concentration and ability to switch tasks. So, yes, enjoy your coffee, but don’t let it interfere with your work.

Keep your coffee addiction in check

The problem is that too much external stimulation can become an issue, even if it comes from your duties. Nevertheless, not all distractions are bad. For instance, music helps some people to work better.To find a happy medium, do a test:<ul><li>List all interferences around you</li><li>Eliminate them one by one: work in another area.</li><li>Observe the impact of their absence on your work</li></ul>If your performance improved, it’s time to remove the factor in question from your working life.

Avoid distractions

As important as the time you spend being productive, are the minutes you save to rest. Taking breaks is a proven way to restart your mind so you can get back to work refreshed. Your body will also thank you for the opportunity to move around, preventing muscular tension and its damaging consequences.The usual recommendation is stopping for 15 minutes every hour, and never skipping lunch. But it’s also essential to pre-schedule your time off, so it’s set at regular intervals .

Take breaks

To make the tips above easier for you, consider adopting an online tool. If you need is a to-do list, there are many apps you can use free. However, as a project manager, you probably need a more <a href="https://cirkus.com/">powerful project management tool</a>, something that allows you to have all your projects, communications and their respective tasks in one place.No project management tool is perfect, yet you want features able to tackle your most important concerns, such as communication, task management, and workflow.

Use online tools to keep you on track

Sometimes, you don’t have to switch assignments. You can work on more than one simultaneously if they are related.For example:<ul><li>Hold a meeting to discuss several topics</li><li>Prepare a single presentation to apply for a loan that will fund more than one project</li></ul>It won’t always be so simple. You will need to look for other ways to group your tasks. This approach has the extra advantage of presenting you the big picture so that you can transfer knowledge from one project to another.

Work on related tasks together

Among the techniques under investigation, game playing is one of the most popular because of its several concurring tasks, such as clicking on buttons, listening to instructions, and reacting to automated responses.If you want to stay offline, other suggestions are sports activities, dancing, or table games. Anything that involves doing more than one thing at the same time can help you to enhance your multitasking skills.

Keep your brain sharp

Concentration is fundamental to multitasking. Here are some suggestions on how to accomplish it:<ul><li>Work on your willpower: <a href="https://cirkus.com/blog/overcoming-procrastination/">Procrastination</a> can make you waste time between projects. Make sure you know the importance of what you are doing.</li><li>Try some meditation: Staying in silence in a dark room while paying attention to your breath is just one of its technique.</li><li>Take notes (or doodle): Specialists also suggest that engaging in handwriting activity during work can help you to stay on the right track. </li></ul>

Learn to concentrate

Adopt the <a href="https://francescocirillo.com/pages/pomodoro-technique">Pomodoro Technique</a>. It suggests that you work in 25-minute blocks, then take a short break after each block, followed by a longer break after every 4 blocks. However, this might not work for you if it forces you to stop at a critical stage.The idea works because it’s easier to concentrate for 30 minutes than 1 hour. You just need to figure out the best time length for your project.

Work in blocks of time

Delegating is at the core of task organization. It allows you to assign to yourself the tasks matching your skill set, optimizing your time and increasing performance. But it also has a negative side. Your team will be reaching out to you, interrupting to seek approval.If the demand is interfering with your <a href="https://cirkus.com/blog/improve-employee-productivity/">productivity</a>, go back to your to-do list and set time aside for it. Let your collaborators know when you will be available, and which situations are considered as emergencies.

Learn to supervise

When managing a project, you have to deal with many tasks. A common solution is to use your multitasking skills and complete everything simultaneously.

Take breaks

Similar ideas to Take breaks

Take regular breaks

Take lots of breaks

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