I just read some startling research that I think it is important to share having to do with ‘multitasking’:

• Performance can decrease by up to 50% when a person focuses on two mental tasks at once
• Our IQ drops by 5-15 points when we are multitasking
• It takes about 20 minutes to return to any deeper level of focus once we have been distracted, and if we are distracted constantly, our ability to function at the necessary level decreases proportionately. Instead, we just get tired.

I don’t know about you, but I need that 15 points of IQ to be an effective research administrator (or effective anything else). And, as research administrators, we have a lot of information coming at us every day. Still, there is a big difference between handling multiple tasks and multitasking.

There are some simple steps to help, but even though simple- some, including me, find them difficult:

• Put your phone away in a drawer and resist the urge to look at it every few minutes. Start by not taking it to meetings. For some of you, this is much harder than it seems. And no cheating by glancing at your Apple Watch instead!
• Turn off the email and text notifications on your computer screen! That simple distraction can cause you to lose hours of focus. Texts do not have to be answered RIGHT NOW, nor does email. Again with the Apple (or similar) watch.
• Put a sign on your door that asks people not to disturb you unless it is urgent until a certain time if that will help you.
• NOBODY is immune except the 3% of the population that can actually multitask. I have known one person who could, and she was a wonder to watch. People, I am 61 years old and I have known one person. You are not it.
• Set up a schedule if it helps. Check your email once an hour, for example. If you can’t manage that, start with once every 20 minutes.

These modest steps will make a difference. Decide to try it for two weeks – do your own experiment. And good luck.