The Barter Project

Purging: Tabs

I’ve learned that multitasking isn’t a very good idea. It usually leads to me doing a few things mediocre, rather than getting one thing done perfectly. So this weekend, I decided to purge internet tabs and reduce my multitasking. 

If you don’t use tabbed browsing, it’s basically opening multiple windows inside of one window that you can toggle between. Because I’ve been limiting my internet time lately, I tend to log on, and open 4 or 5 tabs with all the websites I want to go to at once. Usually, it’s one for email-tab-online banking-tab-paypal-tab-twitter-tab-blog. I then spend the next 45 minutes clicking between the 4 or 5, trying to get everything done and only half accomplishing a couple things before deciding to come back to it later. 

There are two main problems with this that actually affect my work way more than I would have thought. First, by trying to get 5 things done at once, I get confused and overwhelmed because I see all the work i have to do in one picture, and don’t break it down. Second, by mixing the work tasks with the free time tasks, it really feels like I’m always working when online, because a lot of the time I put work things off until late at night, when I shouldn’t be thinking about work at all. 

So what I’ve done this week is simple: one window open at a time, and that’s it. Just as it’s great to simplify one step at a time, this forces me reduce my work into separate tasks, and finish one completely before moving on to the next. Seeing a task completed is a motivational tool to move on to the next, and it actually feels like I’m doing less work… but I’m getting more done. It also helps to separate business from pleasure, because now I go online, do my email, and go do work. I read my blogs after dinner, which is much more relaxing because I don’t even think about email or work-it’s free time to read articles. 

Now, I understand that tabs are sometimes super useful if you’re not using them to multitask. They’re awesome for when you’re comparing things, or when you’re researching. Go ahead and use them, just use them to complete one task at a time, and you’ll feel a lot less stressed about getting work done online.