My Utile Center

If you’re like me, you are a person who enjoys focusing on one task at a time, while actively eschewing distractions.

This is how I am when I write, work out, or make business calls.

Single-minded.

But surprisingly, I actually get more accomplished, and enjoy greater piece of mind, when I’m involved in two, different sorts of tasks at a time.

To illustrate, let’s go back to my college days, when I was carrying a full load of credits and working full-time for a living, simultaneously. When I mention the fact that I put myself through school most people start to have a “poor baby!” reaction, which is totally inappropriate.

Sure, I was very, very busy, but seldom was my burden backbreaking.

As a matter of fact, I believe I did a better job of accomplishing those tasks than I would have done had I been “blessed” with only one.

Here’s the reasoning that applied to those circumstances, and which pertains still, to this day. When one task is sailing smoothly, the other can be leaking, threatening to submerge in a stormy sea, and you still feel pretty good about yourself.

After all, one major duty is doing fine.

And the other?

I’ve found that sooner, rather than later, it recovers, and suddenly, you have two great projects that are thriving, and you feel ahead of the game.

During at least a couple of semesters, for example, I made the Dean’s list with straight A’s, and I was clocking over 50 hours at work.

This isn’t multi-tasking, which is trying to do two or more things at exactly the same moment. For me, that doesn’t succeed.

By doing two things, I mean setting aside enough time to alternate between them.

If you do this, you’ll find it stimulating, relaxing, and incredibly productive.

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com

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