Let’s get real about the modern workplace.
There is a myth floating around that multitasking is the mark of a high performer. That the more you juggle, the more effective you are. That jumping between meetings, emails, texts, and social media means you’re getting things done.
But here is the truth:
Leaders do not multitask. They prioritize.
If you want to be productive, focused, and profitable, you have to stop reacting to everything and start owning your time.
The Distraction Epidemic
Let’s look at the numbers:
- The average entrepreneur is distracted for 2.1 hours every day
- They are interrupted every 11 minutes
- It takes 22 minutes to get back in the zone after each interruption
Do the math. That means some of us are stuck in constant distraction mode. All day. Every day.
We’re not working. We’re reacting. And it’s costing us—big time.
Because time is money. And if you lose a couple of hours a day to shallow focus, you are leaving serious money on the table. Not just today, but week after week, month after month, year after year.
Multitasking Doesn’t Work. – Period. – Exclamation Point!
Think you’re a great multitasker? Think again.
Studies show that when you multitask:
- Your IQ drops 10 points
- You become less accurate
- You take longer to finish tasks
For reference: smoking marijuana drops your IQ by 5 points. So, multitasking makes you twice as cognitively impaired as being high.
Let that settle in.
When you switch tasks, you lose your edge. You are not a superhuman. You are simply doing multiple things badly.
The Bigger Problem: Burnout
Multitasking leads to more than mistakes. It leads to exhaustion.
- 1 in 4 U.S. workers took no vacation time last year
- Americans left millions of unused PTO days on the table
- We are ranked #1 globally in burnout and depression
This is what happens when we glorify busyness and ignore boundaries. People burn out. Teams get overwhelmed. Innovation dies.
The Solution: Intentional Leadership
It starts with a shift in mindset.
Shift from having an attention deficit disorder—your phone, your inbox, your open browser tabs, or shiny objects as they say.
Create an attention distraction device—a device that focuses you in on what’s most important so you’re not distracted.
Here’s some tips on how to do the latter instead:
1. Schedule Quiet Time
Stillness creates clarity. Whether it is a walk, a workout, journaling, or meditation, create space where your brain can breathe. The answers will come.
2. Prioritize Intentions
Ask yourself:
Where do I need to show up today?
What result matters most?
That is your intention. Anchor to it.
3. Then Prioritize Tasks
Once your intention is clear, design your task list to support it. Protect your schedule. Say no to everything that pulls you away from what matters most.
4. Use the WIN Formula
What’s Important Now?
That is your guiding question. One thing at a time. Do not move on until it is complete.
Final Thoughts
Distractions are everywhere. But discipline is your edge.
If you want to do more than survive your week—if you want to create impact, margin, results, and freedom—you must become ruthless about focus.
Stop multitasking.
Start prioritizing.
Lead with intention.
You will get more done. You will feel freer.
And yes—you’ll probably make more money. And in the bottom line, that’s not such a bad thing!
COACH MICHAEL DILL is an Award-Winning Certified Business Coach, global speaker, and published author. He is a proud ActionCOACH Franchise Partner as well as the President of Power & Ice Wealth Creation, a strategic leadership company that works with business owners, leaders, teams, and entrepreneurs to build systematized, structured organizations while accelerating mindset, efficiency, and effectiveness to achieve extraordinary results.
BusinessCoachMichaelDill.com