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BE HERE NOW - The Death of Multitasking

By
Real Estate Agent with LONG & FOSTER REAL ESTATE License# 0225204041

"BE HERE NOW"

"Be Here Now," is another way of saying "Highly Focused."  You should give whatever it is you're working on Highly Focused Attention.  Think about your average day, especially the time you spend working from home.  Do you spend most of the time working on one task at-a-time or three?  Do you let phone calls, emails, texts, conversations or DR. Phil interrupt the task at hand?  

THE DEATH OF MULTITASKING: 

From the time that I began College in 1993 I've been taught the importance of multitasking, the ability to perform multiple tasks at one time.  In time management training after training multitasking was stressed as a necessary means to efficiency.  But times have changed.  Now studies show that it takes a significant amount of time to refocus on a task once you've been interrupted.  Our brains basically have to stop, rewind and review what we were working on each time we are interrupted before we can get back to where we were.  This results in it taking more time to complete a task and with more errors.  Multitasking is DEAD! 

WORDS TO WORK BY:

"Be Here Now."    Remember it, write it down, pin it up at your desk, make it your screen saver, write it in the steamed-up mirror before you shave.  When its time to work, pick one task and give it all of your attention, your Highly Focused Attention.  Do not pay attention to your phone, silence it.  Incoming emails don't exist.  And don't have the TV or other distractions on.  If you get in the habit of doing this, you will finish the task in record time with higher quality.  Then you move on to the next task.  If you know you will be interrupted a lot, then that will not be the time for Highly Focused work.  I've read that you can get 8 hours of normal work done in only 2 hours of Highly Focused work.  

WORDS TO LIVE BY:

If its good enough for work, then its even better for life.  When you are playing with your kids, use this focus on them.  Don't pay attention to the TV or Internet while you are playing with them.  They will know that you are NOT giving them all of your attention and they Will accept this as normal.  Don't let that be. When you are watching them in a game or practice, pay attention and talk to them about it afterwards.  You can't do this if you are multitasking and working on your cell phone half the time.  BE HERE NOW.  Focus on your kids.  It will affect the rest of their lives.  The same is true when it comes to your spouse/significant other. 

Stop multitasking - Improve your work - Improve your life

Wherever you are, BE HERE NOW.

Show All Comments Sort:
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Christopher, you may be right, but after all these decades of doing 15 things at a time, I am not sure that I can stop multitasking.

Dec 09, 2012 06:41 AM
Christopher Campa
LONG & FOSTER REAL ESTATE - Gainesville, VA
Northern VA Realtor

Bob, I hear ya.  A few years ago is when I started to change.  Instead of trying to multitask better, I went this route.  It's tough.

 

Dec 09, 2012 06:51 AM
Grant Schneider
Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY
Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

Christopher,

Understnading time management is a matter of living by your goals and your life values. 

Dec 09, 2012 07:32 AM
Christine O'Shea
Christine E O'Shea Broker - Naples, FL

Christopher, WOW a feature and over 88 comments for your first AR post, Congratulations!  Multi tasking is like add and can just get carried away, the older I get, the more I have to focus!

Dec 09, 2012 09:55 AM
Nancy Frimann
Eagle Ridge Realty/Signature Homes & Estates - Gilroy, CA

I would've commented earlier, but I got distracted!  HA!  I think this is a great post, and as your first post to get it featured is great.  You write well.  Keep it up!

Dec 09, 2012 10:28 AM
Renee Frank
Steinborn & Associates Real Estate - Las Cruces, NM
Realtor, EcoBroker Certified

You really struck a nerve with a lot of us!  I have found that real estate is a very hard business to stay in the "NOW".  This is a business that is almost guaranteed to have distractions and un predictability.  That makes it even more important to BE HERE NOW!  I'm going to put up cards with that phrase on it everywhere I need to be focused.  Thanks for a great post!

Dec 09, 2012 11:05 AM
Sharon Alters
Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty - 904-673-2308 - Fleming Island, FL
Realtor - Homes for Sale Fleming Island FL

Bob, I totally agree that blocking time and taking out distracters like email and phones is huge in helping us accomplish more in less time. Congrats on the Feature!

Sharon

Dec 09, 2012 11:16 AM
Pam Ruckriegel
Louisville Real Estate Pros - 502-435-5524 - Louisville, KY
Negotiating the Best Deal for You!

I truly hope this catches on.  So sick of everyone watching their phones and texting and emailing while you are having a face to face conversation with them.  Maybe it's just Realtors . . . 

Dec 09, 2012 11:46 AM
Christopher Campa
LONG & FOSTER REAL ESTATE - Gainesville, VA
Northern VA Realtor

Christine: Thank you.  Maybe when we're younger we Think we can multitask well.  When we look at younger people do we think they are more focused? Not my son, lol.

Nancy: Thanks for the kind words and bad pun, lol :-)

 

Dec 09, 2012 01:21 PM
Christopher Campa
LONG & FOSTER REAL ESTATE - Gainesville, VA
Northern VA Realtor

Renee: That's exactly how I feel.  Because it's so difficult to have uninterrupted time, we need to work harder to find that time. 

Frank & Sharon: Thank you.

Pam: I do believe that a lot of Realtors think we have the right or excuse to constantly check or phones no matter the situation.

Dec 09, 2012 01:28 PM
Rob Renk
Center Street Lending - McKinney, TX
AE | Fast Fix/Flip Loans for Residential Investors

Focus is the key to being successful in anything that you do.  I agree with what you posted totally.

Dec 09, 2012 07:36 PM
Ricki Eichler McCallum
CastNet Realty - Corpus Christi, TX
Broker,GRI,ABR, e-Pro, TAHS

Hi Christopher,  Excellent blog!  I totally agree!  Thanks for  the reminder, today I will begin to shut my door at the office and stop all those interruptions. :)

Dec 09, 2012 09:19 PM
Dana Hollish Hill
Hollish Hill Group, JPAR Stellar Living - Bethesda, MD
REALTOR * Broker * Coach

This is so true. I especially think multitasking while driving has gotten out of hand. Clients do not want to wait for you to focus. Just like kids, they want you to pay attention now. Great reminder. Thanks!

 

Dec 10, 2012 12:49 AM
Christopher Campa
LONG & FOSTER REAL ESTATE - Gainesville, VA
Northern VA Realtor

Rob: Absolutely.

Ricki: It helps to get in early :-)

Dana: No doubt.

Dec 10, 2012 02:02 AM
Chris Hayes
Keller Williams Realty Northwest LA - Shreveport, LA
Your Shreveport/Bossier Real Estate Partner

I've just finished a terrific book that talks about finding focus called The 4 Disciplines of Execution by Chris McChesney.  My team and I are currently identifying our WIGs (wildly important goals) and focusing on what it takes to get those implemented before we move on to the next. 

Dec 10, 2012 03:24 AM
Sharon Parisi
United Real Estate Dallas - Dallas, TX
Dallas Homes

Christopher, a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders.  I love the idea of being in the here and now!

Dec 10, 2012 12:48 PM
Nan Jester
Exit Real Estate Gallery Jacksonville Beach, FL - Jacksonville Beach, FL
Realtor, Exit Real Estate Gallery

I would like to totally agree with your blog post. Divided attention is divided effectiveness.

Dec 12, 2012 07:13 AM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

Very good points about multi-tasking.  I try to avoid interruptions when on important task or with family.  At the same time the need to juggle things is part of our job.  No matter how hard it is we have to be good at it to some extent.

Dec 18, 2012 02:53 AM
Brian Kuhns
Coldwell Banker Roth Wehrly Graber - Fort Wayne, IN
Fort Wayne Real Estate by Brian Kuhns

excellent post and I couldn't agree more. I liken it to the jack of all trades/master of none theory, better to be in the moment highly focused than to be several places all at once and scatter brained. Congrats on well deserved feature

Dec 25, 2012 12:59 AM
MichelleCherie Carr Crowe .Just Call. 408-252-8900
Get Results Team...Just Call (408) 252-8900! . DRE #00901962 . Licensed to Sell since 1985 . Altas Realty - San Jose, CA
Family Helping Families Buy & Sell Homes 40+ Years

BE HERE NOW is good advice, just like focusing on THE ONE THING.

Nov 21, 2016 02:34 PM