Multi-tasking???,

[chikky]

What the hell does that mean?  I have two hands and two feet.  Does that mean I can type on 4 computers at the same time.  Do you really multitask?  

[gee4]

Chikky you seem to start your posts with a right old rant - this one is similar to the Outlook journal one.

Anyway before you burst a blood vessel, yes I think we will all agree on this one, we do multi-task at various levels.

For example whilst on the phone recently booking travel, I was also answering an email, and at the same time chatting to someone about stationery they wanted.  Now while that is a little unusual, multi-tasking usually means you are managing more than one project task simultaneously.

So whilst I am in the middle of say booking travel for an international trip, I might be formatting a spreadsheet whilst the paperwork gets signed off etc.  It also means you are focussing on more than one task at any given time.

I hope that helps.

[Jackie G]

Yellow card warning girls.  Play nice or I'll issue a red card.

Jackie, Peer Moderator

[peaches2160]

We all have to multitask or we would not survive.  It pretty much means keeping several plates in the air at once.

[JessW]

A simple everyday type of multi-task is keeping the children busy (either at work or at home!), doing the washing up/loading dishwasher, plus the washing machine plus cooking supper while having multiple conversations with kids / husband / delivery or repair man and on the phone!  

While most days include these, I reckon we (women or multi-taskers if you are a man doing this) are not celebrated enough.  But just once in a while, it should be allowed to have an off day and complain about all the hard work that is so not appreciated by others.

Keep going, and congratulations to all those out there doing multiple high maintenance tasks.  I am sure that we all appreciate each others hard work!

(Jackie - playing nice enough? I hope so!)

[happyclappy]

Multi-tasking is focussing on more than one thing at any one time - as described above.  It's one of those buzz words and "skills" that an efficient and productive admin support is supposed to have and is probably not properly understood by the people who use it!  Its effectiveness is questionable, in my opinion.  In my own experience, concentrated focus, perhaps for a very short time, on this or that project is far more productive.  In truth, whilst I would say that I can multitask, I very rarely would sit at my computer composing a letter, reading incoming post about an investigation I'm conducting, speaking to a colleague and talking on the telephone.  I might be able to compose the letter and answer the phone in between, but not all of those activities at once.  I do, however, have an extremely varied work schedule throughout the day.