Stop Multitasking and Start Prioritizing

Less distractions, less stress and a happier you! 

First published in Honest College
Written by Narayguy

College means being on your own, probably for the first time in your life, and its easy to get stressed out trying to juggle a thousand things. For some, stress results in more productivity, especially if you’re someone who performs best in the crunch time. As a general rule of thumb however, more distractions = more stress = a less happy you.

So how do you reduce the annoyances that cloud your life? In this post I’ll explain a few easy yet perhaps counterintuitive tactics to simplify life and get to the core of what makes you feel happy and productive.

Number 1: Put your phone away for an extended period of time. Sure, its fun to multi-task, handing texts and emails and calls while getting your homework done, but how many of those phone notifications are really worth your time? Probably less than half. Put your blackberry or iPhone away and  focus on the actual people around you and you’ve just lost a big chunk of your worries. How silly is it when a room full of people are all silently texting? People are often fooled into thinking their phone brings the most important information, and don’t see what’s right in front of them.

Number 2: Ask yourself what it is you’d like to complete, and understand what makes you happy. Say you have 1 large task, maybe calling your boss back, and 5 little ones, like jogging, buying something for your room, laundry, etc. Okay, laundry can be a big task. It’s easy to do the little things, but they result in the least satisfaction. Prioritize more.

Number 3: Find some private space. In my case, I enjoy listening to my friend when he bursts in the room with an issue or story to share, but pretty soon I find myself forgetting my own agenda. Designate alone time for yourself when you can calmly reflect on what YOU need to get done.

This is only the start of a fairly long list of things you can do to almost instantly cut down on your stress. Stay tuned for more stress-reducing ideas, and as always, your feedback and critique on the above is welcome in the comments.

Courtesy Honest College
In association with the ARB Team
Arbitrage Magazine
Business News with BITE

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