And I tried to do it, that is.
Following Note To Self’s “Infomagical Challenge”, produced by WNYC Public Radio, I spent the entire day monotasking.
In theory, focusing on one task at a time should be easier than trying to do them all at once, but I personally found that this activity tested my patience in a not-so-pleasant way.
The objective of this challenge was for media users, like myself, to recognize the amount of noise and media overload that we have come to accept as a part of everyday life, and block it out! The resultant practice of “monotasking” should subsequently improve productivity throughout the day.
Much to my surprise, I found that the challenge was a success! Focusing all my energy on a single task mitigated the stress of completing it. In fact, I found that I was so focused on my work that I had begun to ignore anyone that was trying to communicate with me.
Now don’t get the wrong impression. I’m not suggesting that living your life per the Infomagical Challenge is something worth losing friends over, but for myself, being able to resist a juicy conversation for the sake of productivity is a triumph!
On the other hand, this challenge was a PAIN! Never before have I ever been so tempted to check the notifications on my phone, and aimlessly surf the internet. It seemed as though the more I tried to avoid distraction, the more susceptible to it I became. It was very difficult to focus on one single task, as juggling multiple tasks had become second-nature to me, as if it was at all effective.
Despite the sheer ANNOYANCE I felt towards ignoring unproductive media, this might have been the most useful assignment I have had all semester. Once I suppressed my rehabilitated-alcoholic-like urges to distract myself, I found that completing one task at a time was like a breath of fresh air [*birds chirp in background*]. It seemed to organize the overwhelming clutter in my brain. I also found that I began using my media devices as tools to complete work once again, instead of deadly procrastination devices of mass-destruction!
The concept is simple, but it requires some serious ENDURANCE in order to last the entire day.
For anyone looking to give this challenge a try, firstly, I salute you. Secondly, I would recommend creating an organized “To Do” list. This will help you to manage and prioritize your tasks (which is critical, as you can only complete one at a time), as well as add to your sense of accomplishment as you cross out each task.
Now go! Be productive!
Check out the Infomagical Challenge podcast series here: http://www.wnyc.org/story/infomagical-challenge-1/
Explore more from WNYC Public Radio:
http://www.wnyc.org/
