Monotasking: Mindfulness at Work

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What Is MonotaskingPractice MonotaskingOptimal WorkspaceResist DistractionsHow To Concentrate

Many of us fall into the habit of multitasking, especially when so much of our time is taken up by digital communication and online distractions. But did you know that multitasking actually hurts productivity? Monotasking — taking on one task at a time — is a much more efficient way to accomplish your short and long-term goals.

Hi, I’m Ryan

It seems like in modern life it’s always go, go, go. With a million things pulling at our attention, monotasking has been the answer to a distracting world for me.

What Does It Mean To Monotask?

Simply put, the practice of monotasking is deliberately focusing on one task, with no distractions, for a clearly defined time frame. While it may seem deceptively easy, there is more to what is meant by monotasking than just sitting down to work on a project.

The mindset behind single tasking is one of self-reflection and connection. The practice is not just about focusing on work, but also examining our relationship to time and how we spend it. Recently, I sat down with my friend Anna Pugh, one of the co-founders of Spacetime Monotasking. We discussed what it means to monotask and why monotasking is important.

The goal of monotasking is to avoid burnout and to bring a sense of purpose to all aspects of our lives. Work tasks are not the only things that can benefit from a state of deep focus. Eliminating distractions helps us stay mindful during creative projects, leisure activities, and quality time with our friends and family.

“Monotasking is just doing one thing at a time, which sounds really simple but happens to be really difficult to do, especially in the age of the internet. Our need for a practice of creating space to focus and connect with our attention is growing.” – Anna Pugh, Spacetime Monotasking

Stop Multitasking

Why You Can’t Concentrate

Despite what we’ve been told, the human brain can only focus on one thing at a time. Multitasking is not splitting your focus, but rather your attention switching rapidly between tasks, breaking your concentration with each leap. This habit overwhelms your brain and leads to decreased productivity.

Monotasking Benefits

It is all too easy to stay stuck in our old ways, especially when our increased internet connectivity allows an influx of notifications to flood our awareness almost constantly. Breaking free of the multitasking habit may be difficult at first, but it can lead to a number of great benefits.

Monotasking allows us the chance to tune in to our lives and tune out the distractions that lead to procrastination and stress. It brings mindfulness to our everyday tasks and allows us to pursue simplicity in the workplace.

How To Practice Monotasking

The key word I want to highlight here is “practice.” Like any new skill, monotasking is not something any of us will be good at right away. Learning to enter a state of deep focus is a challenge, so it’s important to realize there might difficulties in the beginning and allow yourself time to grow.

When it comes to learning how to tackle something new, tangible steps are the best place to begin. Here are a few actionable tips for getting started on your monotasking journey.

Outline Your Goals

Successfully monotasking begins with setting your expectations for yourself and defining the goals you wish to accomplish. Take a moment to check in with yourself and determine what it is you wish to achieve through monotasking.

Maybe you have a household to-do list or a work project. You may be looking to grow deeper friendships or focus on one recreational activity at a time. Whatever your goals are, have a set idea of them in your mind to guide you.

“When we think about monotasking, I like to think about it as mindfulness in motion because in order to monotask, you have to get really clear on your expectation of yourself. Monotasking exists underneath the umbrella of mindfulness.” – Anna Pugh, Spacetime Monotasking

Focus On One Thing At A Time

This practice is the foundation of monotasking. Once you know what your goals are, pick one and devote your attention to it for a set time. If your goal is to clean the kitchen, set a timer for an hour and only focus your energy on that one task.

Setting a timer is an important part of monotasking. We are trying to prevent burnout, not cause it, and pushing yourself too hard to stay focused can have the opposite effect. I’ve found that starting small with 15 to 30-minute sessions has allowed me to work my way up to longer increments.

Silence Your Notifications

Our ability to focus is often impaired by the flood of notifications that keeps us from work. While it may seem mundane, stopping your workflow to answer a quick text or read an email can completely derail your progress. Silence your notifications and if necessary, turn your phone off to eliminate distractions.

Make sure you set clear boundaries with the people around you. Let your colleagues know when you need to focus, and ask that you not be disturbed for a set period of time. You can program an automatic reply email or text to let others know you will get back to them when your monotasking session is over.

Sometimes we lose focus without even realizing it because we’ve become so accustomed to multitasking. Identifying the common culprits that draw your attention elsewhere can help you avoid them. Make a distractions list and keep it near where you work so you can nip bad habits in the bud.

Be Kind To Yourself

Like I said before, monotasking takes practice, and you won’t always be good at it right away. Nothing kills productivity like a destructive inner monologue, so try to replace your self-criticism with words of encouragement.

Let yourself start slow and work up to the level of focus you want to achieve. It’s important to respect your energetic boundaries so you don’t become overwhelmed and give up. If 15 minutes is all you can handle for the day, congratulate yourself for that achievement and move forward.

“The most powerful thing is tuning in to your inner dialogue. That’s where we start. The inner critic wastes no time jumping in, so offer yourself compassion and gently guide yourself back to focus.” – Anna Pugh, Spacetime Monotasking

Optimize Your Workspace

Monotasking requires an intense amount of focus, so it’s crucial to create a workspace that makes you feel comfortable. Anna told me that headphones, a great playlist, and crystals to fidget with are all essential parts of her monotasking set-up.

One way to stay focused and improve productivity is to declutter your digital tools. An organized computer makes it easier to find projects and documents quickly without risking the distractions that come from sifting through a messy desktop.

A water bottle and a healthy snack might also help you stay focused when sitting for a period of time to work through a project. At the end of the day, your perfect monotasking workspace is all about you and your needs. It might take some trial and error to discover what set-up works best for your goals.

Resist Distractions In Your Free Time

Work hours aren’t the only times of the day when we can benefit from a mindful state of focus. If you’re like me, chances are you’ve sat down to enjoy a good book or watch a new movie and found yourself scrolling through your phone instead. Monotasking in our free time allows us to be fully present with the activities and people we enjoy.

Social media can be a huge distraction and often takes us away from spending quality leisure time. Consider taking a break from Instagram or Facebook so you can stay in the moment and connect with yourself.

Even if you don’t delete all of your social apps entirely, be mindful of how you spend your time on them. You can use monotasking as a way to break the cycle of endless scrolling and focus on learning something new or relaxing purposefully.

What To Do When You Can’t Concentrate

Setting up the perfect work space and silencing our notifications isn’t always enough — we still get distracted and lose focus all the same. If you find yourself with an inability to concentrate, it’s time to take a break and reset. Try one of these tips for re-calibrating your monotasking session.

Take An Exercise Break

Sometimes the quickest way to bring back your focus is to get up and move around. Try stretching with some light yoga or going for a short walk.

Exercise breaks don’t have to be a big trip to the gym. Do some jumping jacks or throw a toy for your dog — something simple to shake out the kinks before you get back to work.

“If you feel like you’ve been working on something for a while and it’s not going anywhere, it’s okay to take a break. A simple phone-free walk around the block can be very powerful.” – Anna Pugh, Spacetime Monotasking

Identify What’s Stopping You

Determine what it is that’s keeping you from completing your task. Our first reaction might sound something like, “I just can’t focus,” but identifying the specific root of the problem can help you realize the problem isn’t your attention span, but something else.

For example, if you’re struggling to finish a report, your first instinct might be to say it’s because you can’t concentrate, but the reality might be that you’re missing an important piece of information. The trick is to examine reality at face value and not fall into old habits of self-criticism.

Try Again Later

If you’ve found that you’ve truly hit a wall and can no longer remain in your state of deep focus, there’s nothing wrong with walking away and trying again later. Monotasking is meant to ease your burdens, not add to them. Practice being grateful for the goals you were able to achieve, and forgive yourself for the ones you were not.

Your Turn!

• What are the goals you want to achieve with monotasking?
• What are some distractions that commonly keep you from those goals?