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Multitask Regret.
I was attending a webinar a few days ago. Quite instinctively, I started to multitask and used the time to read through my usual news sources, planning to wait for something important before I pay attention. The result was predictable, in my distracted state, I absorbed little in either task.
I ended up with a feeling of “multitask regret”. Regret from wasting that block of time, and also regret that I might have missed something important or useful I might not get again.
Its scary that, even though I know multitasking doesn't work, I keep doing it. I played online poker during lectures, I clear emails during a conference, and watch e-sports while reviewing contracts.
As my commitments increase, I need to focus better. Lately I have been dedicating some of my headspace to reflecting on my obstacles to focus and productivity.
An issue I identified is my need for “relevance”. With time so scarce, I tell myself I only want to give my time to most useful content. I falsely believe I can maximise my time by tuning out when things are not important or repeated, and use that time to clear other things on the to-do list.
I think this is a relic from schooling days, where all that is “relevant” are the things tested in an exam. Everything else can be ignored. My strategy back then was probably not wrong too, aggressively prioritising in this way was critical to giving me time to enjoy my youth by spending time with friends and playing all the games I wanted.
There is no exam syllabus anymore to tell me what is relevant. I have to assess for myself if something is in fact important. Trying to decide this on a tactical, minute-by-minute level is unproductive. That important time and focus is wasted on making the decision.
In truth, I won’t know what might be useful later, so it is impossible to write anything off early.
Luck has a large role. A casual line might inspire thoughts that change the course of life. A casual conversation could inspire thoughts that change the course of life. At my university interview I recall being asked a question about Singapore’s international relations. Coincidentally, I had thought about that same question when overhearing someone talk about their MFA posting.
I can’t control luck, but I can try to put myself in its favor, by being better at channeling the knowledge in my mind to solve problems, rather than hoping I already had a direct answer at the time. All knowledge can be connected and applied, even when they seem unrelated. I ought to put more effort into getting used to deliberately forming these connections, to draw parallels, find analogies, or get inspiration. I am reminded of this list of business lessons that can be drawn from other jobs.
Even repeated knowledge is relevant. There is this aversion to being taught something twice. What if I embrace it instead? Treating each repeated incident as a chance for reinforcement so I can recall it better when I need, or a chance to think about deeper insights.
I put these reflections here to commit to repeating them internally when the urge to multitask or lose focus arises. If you catch me multitasking, please hold me accountable!
I would love to hear your strategies for improving focus and being more productive, do share them in a comment or reply. Am also wondering if thoughts like these on productivity and focus are interesting to you, do let me know!
Thinking about…
Race issues in Singapore
The recent events in local news involving race issues have reminded me of the need to dedicate some mental space to think about racism and inclusivity, especially in our local context. There is more I can do to get educated, to be conscious of the potential issues, make sure I am not part of the problem, and to pass on the right values to my children.
Inevitably, within the discourse, there are instances of people who are drawing lines and building us vs. them type of ideas. This article on High Conflict has some relevant thoughts on the better way to resolve conflicts.
I enjoyed reading…
Optimal Amount of Hassle
This resonates with an earlier thought I had about not needing to be perfect. There is always some measure of “hassle” that we need to put up with. Getting too caught up grieving about that “hassle” distracts from getting important thins done.
Thanks for reading! I’d love to hear your thoughts, start a conversation, or just catch up with you on life. You can reply this email, leave a comment, or reach me at jameschanwz@hey.com.
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Take care and have a good week!
James