The Art of Monotasking

True or false: People who are good multitaskers get more done. 

False: Multitasking can negatively affect clarity, make us less efficient and reduce productivity by up to 40%. Research shows that people get more done if they concentrate on one task at a time.

While it’s usually not realistic to block off hours at a time for a single task, even committing to five minutes of monotasking can yield productivity benefits.

Also try to organize your desk in a way that encourages performing one task at a time. For instance, if you review reports in a certain area of your desk, keep your inbox in a separate spot to minimize distractions. 

Here are some other small changes you can make:

Remove temptation: Actively resist the urge to check unrelated social media while you’re working on a task. Some workers may need to go so far as to install...