My Secret To Staying Productive Without Multitasking
So, you clock in for work, and out of nowhere — an avalanche of emails, questions, and notifications hit you like a truck. What’s your next move?
Even though remote work offers lots of flexibility, some days aren’t as chill and simple as we want them to be. And that’s true not just with work but in other aspects of our lives.
So to make it through the day, you’ve got to be on the lookout for strategies and tools that can help you thrive in today’s ever-evolving landscape. That’s where the Eisenhower Matrix comes in.
But to do that — first, you’re going to need a radical change in mindset. That means unlearning a few old tricks and embracing a whole new way of working. Here’s what I mean.
The Myth of Multitasking and Why It’s Not Effective
Before you put “multi-tasker” in your LinkedIn profile and resumé — you might want to reconsider that for the following reasons.
Some folks think it's a superhero skill, but in reality, it's more like a productivity villain.
When you try to do a bunch of things at once, you're not really multitasking. You're just switching between tasks. And guess what? That switch takes a lot of brainpower and time.
Stanford University psychology professor Clifford Nass says today's nonstop multitasking wastes more time than it saves. Did you know it takes over 23 minutes to refocus once you’ve been interrupted from a task?
Plus, multitasking can sap your brainpower so much that it feels like you’ve dropped 10 IQ points. With your brain working twice as hard to get things done, this makes you more prone to burnout, too.
At the end of the day — multitasking messes with the quality of your work. You're more likely to goof up, miss stuff, and not do your best. In remote work, where distractions lurk everywhere, focus is like gold.
So, what’s the trade-off?
The Importance of Time and Priority Management in Remote Work
Remote work has loads of perks, but it can get messy if you're not organized. Without a boss looking over your shoulder, you're in charge of your day. That means you gotta be a time and priority ninja.
So, if multitasking isn't the answer to remote work success, what is? The answer lies in effective time and priority management. Instead of constantly switching between tasks and wasting all that brain power — you want to be mindful of your time and prioritize the tasks that will make the most impact on your work. This way you get to:
Boost your productivity – By having laser focus on the tasks that matter most, you finish stuff faster and even have time to get a head start on other tasks.
Say goodbye to stress – Because you aren't stirring multiple pots and playing various instruments at the same time, you leave room for less stress.
Enjoy work-life harmony – Instead of blurring the lines between work and life, you don’t just spend your entire day chained to your desk but also have time to recharge and play.
Show up with better quality – When you dive deep into each task, you get to come out with gold-star results on the other side.
If only there was a tool to help you make sure to do that right… Oh no, wait. Actually, there is. Enter: the Eisenhower Matrix.
Super Brief Background on the Eisenhower Matrix
For some of you who are like — the Eisenhower what now? Hear me out.
The Eisenhower Matrix got its name from Dwight D. Eisenhower, a big-shot general who also happened to be the 34th U.S. President. He’s well known for saying,
“What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important.”
That's the heart of the Eisenhower Matrix. It prioritizes tasks between important and urgent.
Important activities lead to us achieving our goals at work or in our personal lives.
Urgent activities call for immediate attention because the consequences of ignoring them are immediate.
The goal is knowing which among your list of tasks and challenges will make the most difference for you with the time that you have. So, how do you get started?
How to Use the Eisenhower Matrix in 3 Easy Steps
Let’s say you’ve got your to-do lists and project boards. But that’s not what the matrix is all about. Here’s how it works.
Step 1: Make the Matrix
Start with a simple 2x2 grid. Think of it like a four-square game. Label the sides "Urgent" and "Not Urgent" on the horizontal, and "Important" and "Not Important" on the vertical. Bam! You got yourself four squares.
Step 2: Sort Your Tasks
Now, take your tasks and toss them into these squares:
Quadrant I (Important and Urgent): These are the fire alarms in your work life. Do these and deal with them right away to avoid disaster.
Quadrant II (Important but Not Urgent): These are like gold nuggets. They're important for your long-term success, so plan them well and schedule time for them.
Quadrant III (Not Important but Urgent): These are the sneaky time-eaters. Try to delegate them to someone else or cut them down.
Quadrant IV (Not Important and Not Urgent): These are the total time-wasters. Eliminate them from your workday.
Step 3: Take Action
Here's the fun part. Let’s see what the Eisenhower Matrix looks like in action. Say, you’re a remote operations manager responsible for keeping the entire company’s day smooth and running.
You kick your day off by jotting down your tasks. But there’s a lot to take care of. You log on to find:
A tech glitch causing chaos for the team.
Pesky emails that need answering and a bunch of calls about project updates.
All the while, your long-term ops improvement plans are way overdue.
You know you’ve got to get things started, but that the notifications on your friend group chat are too exciting to ignore.
What’s the plan? With the matrix in mind, you want to categorize these tasks into the appropriate quadrants.
Quadrant I – There's a tech glitch causing chaos for the team. Handle this ASAP to stop the mess and save the day.
Quadrant II – Your main role is to plan and execute long-term ops improvements. So carve out lots of quality time to work on them because they'll pay off big time.
Quadrant III – Pesky non-essential emails and calls are filling your inbox — quick! Try not to waste too much time here. Share the load with team members who have the answers.
Quadrant IV – Social media is sneakily eating into your work hours and you know it. How about you check the chat during your break, not when you’re on the clock?
See what you just did there? You know exactly what to do and what not to do today. You also know what you should spend time on every day while still leaving room for emergencies that could pop up at any time.
Instead of panicking and jumping from one task to the next without getting anything done — you just took your day by the horns and charged ahead. Great work!
Ready to seize the day?
Is multi-tasking taking over your life? Before, juggling multiple tasks and burnout felt like a badge of honor. Not anymore.
Personally, my favorite thing about the Eisenhower Matrix is that it’s not just about work. Every day, I put on different hats, deal with different people, make plans, and hit all kinds of goals.
In the 10 years I’ve worked doing operations and customer support in the BPO industry, as a co-founder of the fully remote, seven-figure headhunting agency Shepherd, and husband — I’ve learned that a lot of people are counting on me. Every. Single. Day.
I make it through each day by prioritizing the tasks and activities that mean the most. This is how I do quality, fulfilling work while still leaving time for some fun.
The whole idea of remote work is to make things simple. With the Eisenhower Matrix, you get to navigate this new world with so much more confidence. But the thing is, like so many things in life, the matrix isn't just a tool. It’s a habit.
If you want to make the most of the digital nomad life, visit all the places, recharge, and spend quality time with loved ones — you need to be smart about your time. You need to sort out your priority for each day so you don’t end up running all over the place and or worse — burning yourself and your teams out in the process.
Instead, you set yourself up for the other way around. Think, unleashing the remote superstar in you. One who contributes to short-term and long-term goals, finds meaning in their work, and spends time for self-care and play.
I hope this tool helps you achieve work-life harmony, just like it helped me.
