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Tag: PR Career Advice

Secrets of a Non-Multitasker

Secrets of a Non-Multitasker

May 5, 2020January 31, 2023 Cherith AndesBlog, Inspirational, Professional Developmentmultitasking, PR Career Advice, Professional Developement, work ethic

It used to be a badge of honor — a sign of dexterity and skill. And as someone who prizes efficiency and accomplishment, I became enamored with this skill — this multitasking thing.

However, I stumbled on data that shocked my multitasking brain: what I thought might be saving me time was actually hamstringing my productivity. And because sharing is caring, here are a few fast facts that caused me to stop at least four of the nine things I was doing … and reconsider.

When you multitask, you’re actually wasting time.

Health.com research shows that you can’t actually do two things at once. Your brain simply switches back and forth between tasks quickly, creating the illusion of simultaneous activity. The act of switching between activities actually wastes time as you expend your energy on the switch, not the task. Also, as Health.com points out, “You never get ‘in the zone’ for either activity.” Bottom line: multitasking drains your resources and requires more time to get things done, not less.

Multitasking kills your work quality — and increases stress.

That’s a serious one-two-punch. The “skill” you imagine is boosting productivity actually damages your accuracy, making you more prone to mistakes. In addition, multitasking boosts the production of the stress hormone cortisol, causing us to feel exhausted an hour or two into the work day (or earlier!)

Multitasking lowers your IQ.

Yikes. A study from the University of London showed that those who were multitasking while undergoing a cognitive test experienced decreases in IQ commensurate with those who smoke marijuana or pull an all-nighter. In fact, Forbes points out at those who are multitasking function at a lower IQ level — often that of an eight-year-old child.

Multitasking squashes creativity.

Creative thinking and problem solving stems from uninterrupted concentration when you’re “entrenched” in a topic. Multitasking negates the ability to fully invest in one activity and hence hijacks the creative process. And in my line of work (or anyone’s, really!), great work comes from great ideas.

Multitasking beats up your memory.

A 2016 study showed that multitasking damages your memory in more ways than one. The exhausting act of task-switching hampers your brain’s working memory needed for in-the-moment productivity as well as your long-term memory.

These are hefty arguments to reconsider our multitasking ways. But really, I found a more compelling reason to change my approach to work, to relationships and to life.

We miss life.

I discovered that I was missing out. I was missing the moments that make life worth living. Not only are we ignoring vital cues like “Hey, maybe don’t walk in front of that bus while you’re texting.” But you’re missing the side-splitting sarcastic quip your significant other just made about the dog or your child’s biggest dancer twirl yet. You should be camera-ready in those moments, not nose-down on TikTok.

The COVID Stay-at-Home Order has filtered out much of the extraneous noise — extra dinner dates, must-do appearances and social obligations. And the moments that remain are brimming with relational richness and meaning. The precious FaceTime with a struggling friend. The impromptu laughs with a roommate. These snippets were here all along; they were just drowned by the pings of emails and calendar alerts.

Our responsibilities will still remain, but we now have a choice.

Simplify. Invest. Enjoy each moment to its fullest.

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PRSA Leadership Rally 2014

PRSA Leadership Rally 2014

July 18, 2014January 31, 2023 Sarah HattmanBlog, Professional Development, Public RelationsFred Cook, Leadership Rally 2014, PR Career Advice, PRSA

When I was approached by the president of the North Carolina Public Relations Society (NCPRSA) about attending the Leadership Rally in New York with our chapter’s president elect Tony Arnold and website chair Lauren Parker, I was flattered and excited. The Leadership Rally is an annual event designed to help prepare leaders for the next year and beyond with important orientation, networking and of course leadership sessions. It was an amazing experience! Not only did I have the pleasure of meeting industry leaders and getting a lot of great ideas, I also got to spend three days in the Big Apple (but that’s for another post).

I gleaned important information on topics ranging from increasing engagement among members to financial literacy, and the highlight for me was keynote speaker Fred Cook. He is the CEO of GolinHarris, one of the world’s largest and most successful PR firms. Cook has worked with big companies including Nintendo, McDonald’s and Walmart, and big names ranging from Sheldon Adelson to Steve Jobs.

Cook’s presentation discussed highlights from his new book “Improvise: Unconventional Career Advice from an Unlikely CEO.” He told us about his unusual path to success that began with odd jobs ranging from tour guide to chauffeur. Eventually he found his passion for PR and realized there are many paths to success. Cook gave us his best advice from his long, winding and (what many would consider) unconventional path.

Here are a few of my favorite tips from Cook that can be applied to evoke the leader in us all, no matter where you are in your career.

1. Expose Yourself – No, it’s not what you are thinking. It is about getting outside of your comfort zone and experiencing new things. Pick up a magazine that is not necessarily of interest to you. For example, I often find myself reading Southern Living, Better Homes and Gardens and People, but in order to expose myself Cook says I should be reaching for the latest issue of  Guns & Ammo. The idea is to get you to experience new things. You will benefit from exploring ideas outside of your comfort zone and learn a lot about the world around you.

2. Ask the Captain – By literally asking the captain, Cook was able to talk his way into a job as a cabin boy on a tanker ship heading to Asia. In the business world the “captain” is usually a senior executive who can be intimidating to anyone just starting their careers or new to a profession. But Cook’s advice is to not be shy because the captains are the one who can guide your career.  He says if you aspire to be a captain, you should talk to them and ask questions every chance you get. After all, you never know where it might take you.

3.Enlist an Entourage – You’ve probably heard the phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well this saying can also be tailored and applied to successful people too. Behind every successful person, whether it is a billionaire, a politician or an entertainer, there is a team of people responsible for making them look good. According to Cook, there is always someone one step ahead of you, and you are always going to be competing with people who have more experience and better connections. So in order to get to the top, you need to start compiling your entourage now.

 

 

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