This is a multi-part series on how to juggle everything you have going on at work and in your personal life.
Part 2: Apps | Part 3: Willpower
I am an avid multitasker because I enjoy the notion of getting more things done in a shorter amount of time. A different form of multitasking I follow is something I call “active rest.”
I got this idea from a former client who is a personal trainer. He would have his clients perform an activity, such as holding a plank or wall squat, while they were resting between exercise sets.
When I take a break from, say, working on a project that takes a lot of thinking, I’ll work on a less intensive task like filling out a payroll report. So yes, instead of taking a short walk or scrolling through my social media feeds, my break times are used for doing more work. Honestly, it’s not as bad as it sounds.
Also, I know there’s a logical reason for completing the most important or difficult tasks earlier in your day and leaving the less important or easier tasks for later, but this way, you can get both done at the same time. Otherwise, what typically happens is that you spend the first part of your day working on those difficult tasks, and by the end of the day, you don’t have the energy to start on the easier tasks, so you postpone them.
I also use active rest outside of work. In the evenings, I study for about 3-4 hours for my MBA program. I use my break times to do things like clean the kitchen, take out the garbage and pick up the kids from practice.