Multitasking, a style statement!!!

Switching on MTV… booting up your computer… talking over your cell phone, while chatting over the internet messenger, with sipping your coffee and thinking about what to write in your daily article “How to improve efficiency”, clearly says it all!!!

Multitasking is on its way. It makes a teenager more productive, and more efficient. But does it, really? For a period, yes!!!

Then, while multitasking, he becomes 3 people, working on 3 different tasks, and so… boss sits on the head of 3 people expecting 3 times the work J

In the software world, many tasks are assigned to a single soul; however, these tasks will not be presented in their pure form as work!

It will be assigned as A Challenge in front of an Engineer, to test his abilities!!!

Now, when one assigns a challenge, to an engineer, he is just not leaving his machine, till he is done.

That’s the corporate way of fooling a engineer’s brain. J

“

You know… you just have to sit late sometimes… it’s a part of our job…

Even we have done multitasking during our times…

This is just a small fragment…

Try to take it as a challenge…

You still need to see a long life ahead…

“

Needless to mention, the above words get delivered by which wise guy!

So, you put your heart and soul in the work, have lunch at night (yup, dinner @ night is for losers), and just think … why the hell you pay rent for the house!

Expecting a pat on your back for the hard work at least, you get all the soothing music to your ears –

“

I didn’t expect this from you at least … (Yup.. every person hears the phrase ‘from you at least’)

Try to take responsibilities… plan… prioritize… execute…

Efficiency… Management skills… Effectiveness… (All the Standard nouns…)

“

And when you raise some risks or await indefinitely for the wise person’s decision on some issue, and have got no clue on what to do next, and speak out – “I was waiting for your decision… “, you have had it, and you will be hearing –

“

You are just not independent enough!!!

“

So, when you finally say “Multitasking isn’t effective…” OR “Multitasking is not for me…”… it is very surprising, because this word was introduced by Oxford ages before, and it’s so hard to believe that some word might have been introduced just for not being effective.

Also, the UNIX originators, have used this word, and slashed the lives of all the engineers living today…

[References]

http://www.contextmag.com/archives/199809/InnerGameOfWork.asp?process=print

http://www.ivillage.co.uk/workcareer/survive/prodskills/articles/0,,156471_167575-2,00.html

P.S:

The Dilbert Solution works for me to avoid multitasking, and yet to be portrayed as multitasking energy source for other’s inspiration!!!

Solution is quite simple –

• Start with the easiest of task, send an update of it being started.
• Go to the difficult most task, and just take a break of a few hours, and then send an update of a potential risk that you see, due to some awaiting critical information.
• Always ask the most critical information during lunch breaks, when they are away.
• Ask for 20min of wise man’s precious time, at the EOD, while he is going to board the office lift.
• Come back to the easiest task, complete it; however, withheld this progress update for a few days.
• While you are being cursed for being ineffective, provide this progress update of the easy task within next 17min.
• Due to time unavailability, try to be effective and DISTRIBUTE the task amongst others; learn to share!!!
• Distribute ONLY the difficult tasks. Keep simple tasks, inseparable from you, as you own it.
• Send e-mails late in the night, after the late night movie.
• Always come late to the office, and run helter skelter.
• Don’t shave and look undernourished.
• Just try once, and you will be entitled for the “Best Employee Recognition Award!!!”

How did you ever think, I got one… :)

Scott Draws His Line <------->

I am so much impressed by Scott Adams (creator of the comic-strip Dilbert), that I am unbelievably writing a blog about some other person, especially when there is too much work pressure around!

This guy whose book ‘THE DILBERT PRINCIPLE’ I worship more than the bible, is surely a masterpiece. His story gives me inspiration, and reaffirms my faith in my belief which is –

“Any person can do Anything, Anywhere, Anytime in this world, and still be a success!!!”

In our childhood, we are made to believe in a path, which if followed leads to being successful. You study well, become an engineer maybe, join an MNC, go overseas, come back rich, settle down, and die wealthy!!! However, there is no path!!! Many dumb heads I knew, who started their lives as junkies, are now the gurus; NOT in their fields but in places, where even they dint think they would end up in!

It is like having Masters in Pure Physics, and owning Chains Of Business Hotels!

Coming back to the Dilbert guy Mr. Scott, here is his life profile in my words –

He started with being a school valedictorian (student with best grade, an not as valedictorian to know the meaning of the word J) of his high school class, and a National Merit semifinalist, but was rejected by Famous Artist School for Talented Young People, for being young (11) !! How ironical, that is!!

After pursuing his MBA from University of California, he took a job in Crocker National bank in San Francisco, as a bank teller. During this time, his dyslexia showed up when he could not balance his totals! While he was on the verge of being fired, he wrote a letter to his VP regarding ways of improving the institution. VP found his letter hilarious, and instead got him enrolled for management training. This he has described in his works stating –

“The most ineffective workers are systematically moved to the place where they can do the least damage – Management!”

After working there for about 8 years, he joined Pacific bell, when he believed that Hard Work can actually reward a person, and climb the ladder of success! His belief crashed out fast in the cubicle world, when after 2 years of work, which didn’t amount to much, fetched him a “Employee Recognition Award”, wherein he says that his manager created a bogus project, to thank Scott for his contributions.

It was during this time that he started drawing his sketches of Dilbert, and all the characters in here, are inspired from his colleagues. Yeah.. the pointed haired boss too!!! Thus began his double life; he used to start by drawing characters, and strips at 6am, and job from 8am – 5pm.

He was finally downsized in June from Pacific Bell. The truth was, Mr. Adams says, he made a standing offer to his boss that when his costs outweighed his benefits, he would leave.

“People asked me if I'd go soft after I left,'' Mr. Adams says, and laughs. “I just wanted to make a point.''

And he even had focal dystonia (undesirable muscular contraction or twisting), due to which he could no more draw a line. However, he says, during the boring meetings of the corporate world, he'd hold down a pen tip to paper until he felt a shiver, then pick it up quickly and rest his hand before the pain would set in. He did this repeatedly, extending his pen-gripping time bit by bit. Eventually, he said, the problem "just went away."

Also, he lately had spasmodic dysphonia (problem with his vocal chords, vocals functions differently in every speaking context), even on which he can find humor and he says –

“People who have this condition generally can't order a pizza over the telephone but can speak perfectly to their cat. Ironically, the context in which I can speak best is while being interviewed about how I can't speak. So depending on how they edit the piece, I might come off as a fraud with no problem at all.”

Hats off to you, Mr. Adams!!!