{"id":46640,"date":"2023-10-20T15:50:46","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:50:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/startupsmart.test\/2023\/10\/20\/when-everything-is-important-nothing-is-is-your-startup-in-the-middle-of-an-attention-crisis-startupsmart\/"},"modified":"2023-10-20T15:50:46","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:50:46","slug":"when-everything-is-important-nothing-is-is-your-startup-in-the-middle-of-an-attention-crisis-startupsmart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/uncategorized\/when-everything-is-important-nothing-is-is-your-startup-in-the-middle-of-an-attention-crisis-startupsmart\/","title":{"rendered":"“When everything is important nothing is”: Is your startup in the middle of an attention crisis? – StartupSmart"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/div>\n

With over 300 billion emails sent around the world every day, along with 5000 new books, and Snapchat bringing out new filters quicker than you can say \u2018check this one out!\u2019, we are currently sitting in the middle of a crisis of attention.<\/p>\n

Now more than ever there are so many things vying for our attention in any given moment.<\/p>\n

So why is it that in the workplace ‘Sally’ produces outstanding results whilst working across ten different projects, and ‘Tim’ struggles to keep up on anything more than two tasks?<\/p>\n

Back in the 1980s we were sold the belief that multi-tasking was the answer – the ability to do not just one thing but five things at once.<\/p>\n

This may have been a great idea for workplaces, but it was a terrible idea for our brains.<\/p>\n

Research is now finding that our brain is incapable of multi-tasking.<\/p>\n

Instead of attending to multiple tasks, our brains have been shown on MRI scans to be rapidly switching between two tasks.<\/p>\n

In this rapid attention splitting, our brains get fatigued and there is a lag in reorientation when we come back to a task.<\/p>\n

Ultimately taking a toll on our productivity \u2013 known as \u2018switch cost\u2019.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve ever had a busy day at work, felt completely exhausted but still feel like you didn\u2019t really get anything done, then you would have experienced the impact of this \u2018switch cost\u2019.<\/p>\n

How then do we manage competing priorities that are all grabbing for our attention at once?<\/p>\n

Clarify priorities<\/h3>\n

When everything is important nothing is important.<\/p>\n

Take the time to pause and get clear on what\u2019s priority.<\/p>\n

Ask yourself, \u2018if there was only ONE THING I got done today for me to feel like today was a success what would that be?\u2019.<\/p>\n

Delegate or eliminate ruthlessly<\/h3>\n

Be ruthless with your to-do list.<\/p>\n

Just because you\u2019ve always done it a certain way doesn\u2019t mean that it can\u2019t be done differently.<\/p>\n

What could you delegate to others or what tasks can be eliminated altogether?<\/p>\n

Finish what\u2019s in front of you<\/h3>\n

Resist the urge to quickly check your emails, or grab a cup of tea.<\/p>\n

When you notice your attention get pulled elsewhere bring it back to the task and finish what\u2019s in front of you, even if it means letting others know you\u2019re currently not available shortly.<\/p>\n

This article was originally published on Women’s Agenda.<\/em><\/p>\n

Follow StartupSmart on<\/em> Facebook,<\/em> Twitter, LinkedIn and iTunes.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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