To multitask or not to multitask? The latest research and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, both fall firmly on the side of ‘not.’ Rather than distracting ourselves with 5 things at a time, we can do our best work by focusing deeply on one task until it’s finished and then moving on to the next.
Avoid working after working hours
Work that you try do outside of working hours, whether it’s in the evening, the weekend, or during a holiday is almost always unproductive. Your head is not in the zone so your focus is pretty much fleeting. But worse, you don’t give your mind a time to space out and relax in order to reenergize for the next day. That is why one of the most useful tips in spending your time wisely is the idea of completely shutting down your work space and mind.
You plan out your day, and once your day is done, it’s done. The reality is is that you’re usually doing more harm than good by spending after work hours not being fully present. By completely transitioning in and out of your tasks, you create boundaries around your work and can be fully present for either the next task at hand or simply enjoying time with friends and family.
The Prophet ﷺ did not multitask
When the Prophet ﷺ was doing something, he was completely present. Aisha (ra) narrates how when the Prophet ﷺ was at home, he would always spend time with family and help around the house. She specifically describes that when the athan for prayer would come in, it was his cue to redirect his attention to what was coming next.
Even when he was talking with people, he was known ﷺ to fully turn his body toward whoever he was speaking to, shake their hands firmly with eye contact, signaling to them that, you have my full attention. And nothing testifies more to this reality than the fact that every companion of the Prophet thought they were the most beloved to him. That’s how much care and focus he gave to what was in front of him.
The Prophetic example of getting in the zone
Even in his own spiritual practices, the Prophet ﷺ created cues to get his mind in the zone. After rising in the night to pray tahajjud, the Prophet ﷺ is recorded to have offered two short raka’ahs. These were essentially “warm-ups” to immerse himself in the practice before offering his extremely lengthy prayers.
Begin with Bismillah
In so many similar ways, the Prophet ﷺ offered us tools in our day-to-day actions to set ourselves up for what lies ahead of us. For example, for any action we’re about to begin, the Prophet ﷺ told us to begin with Bismillah–in the Name of Allah. He ﷺ said that any important action that doesn’t begin with bismillah is abtar, it is cut off, or it lacks barakah or blessing.
Starting your tasks or habits with bismillah does not only work to signal an official “start” or focus to your action, but it also serves to reorient the purpose of your actions. Here I am beginning in the Name of God, the One I serve, and the One for whom I do what I do. And with that simple cue, you’ve not only trained your mind to initiate “action time” but also have invoked the blessings of Allah in the process.
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