Financial Aid Hack: Productivity or technology trick that financial aid administrators use to cut through information overload, organize their data, and make their lives simpler.

It's a myth that a human mind can concentrate on more than one thing at a time. It's promulgated by managers that require more output from shrinking departments and by high school and college students who believe it's "totally" possible to listen to their iPods, instant message their friends, and do their homework simultaneously. The truth is that multitasking is a farce and employees that do it lose more time than they gain.

No matter what anyone says, doing two things at once is impossible. Well, almost impossible. Sure, some can walk and talk at the same time or even drive and talk on a cell phone simultaneously, but when it comes to activities that require complex thought, multitasking slows people down and decreases the quality of their work.

According to "Executive Control of Cognitive Processes in Task Switching," people attempting to do multiple things at once use "executive control" processes, which are located in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. The brain establishes priorities among tasks and allocates the mind's resources for them. As a result, for all types of tasks, people lose time when they switch from one task to another. The more complex the task(s) the more time it takes to reorient oneself, which means multitasking becomes more costly as the complexity of the tasks increases.

So evidently, processing verification documents, conducting professional judgment reviews, and packaging financial aid while answering emails and phone calls is not a good idea, according to the study. That's not good news for the many financial aid offices that find themselves understaffed and under-funded. But there are ways to boost productivity without giving in to the temptation to multitask. These three steps can help.

1. Know why you multitask.

   Many people multitask because they feel overwhelmed. Remember, multitasking is only possible with very simple tasks, such as "busy work." Busy work may take very little brain power, and so it's easy to spend the day tackling projects simultaneously. Unfortunately, as The New York Times recently noted, "workers trying to talk on the phone, answer e-mail and complete a report at the same time... will certainly look and feel busy, but at the end of the day they will have little to show for it."

   Boredom can be another culprit that leads to multitasking. People who aren't challenged in their work will quickly look for other things to hold their interest. Instant messaging with friends, browsing the Internet, or listening to the radio can help pass the time. Handling different projects with varying degrees of difficulty will help keep the bored person on task.

   The desire to be "in the know" can also cause people to try to multitask. Checking e-mail incessantly or surfing the Internet while attempting to complete projects is a sign of a need to be in the know. Unfortunately, when done in excess these activities reduce productivity, according to The New York Times. Being able to separate yourself or other employees from the need to be constantly connected can be difficult, but it is possible if the office has an effective communication plan that allows everyone to feel "in the loop."

2. Start each day with a game plan.

   A game plan goes beyond a simple to-do list, although that is a good start if it is used correctly. A to-do list must be realistic and it should include action items. According to 43 Folders founder Merlin Mann, every item on a to-do list must:

   • Be a physical action

   • Be accomplished in a single sitting (e.g., "Verify applications" is less effective; "Verify 25 applications" is more effective)

   • Support valuable progress toward long-term goals

   • Be something for which you are the most appropriate person for the job

   Mark Ellwood, president of Pace Productivity, a Toronto-based company that studies how employees spend their time, asks clients to identify a long-term goal they want to achieve within one month and then lay out specific steps, in sequence, for achieving that goal. Those steps should then be incorporated into an active to-do list.

3. Avoid productivity killers.

   Of course e-mails must be answered, the Internet must be used, and ringing phones should be answered... eventually. Unless your job is specifically related to doing any of those items, time should be set aside each day to specifically tackle those tasks.

   Julie Morgenstern, a productivity consultant based in New York, advises against checking e-mail first when arriving at the office in her book "Never Check E-Mail in the Morning." Her advice is to spend the first part of any day to work on high-priority tasks. Reviewing a sequential, action-based to-do list is also a good first step in ensuring a productive day free of multitasking distractions.

   Turning off e-mail can be scary, but can do much to boost productivity. Taking specific periods of time each day to succinctly handle e-mail is more effective than constantly monitoring incoming messages. Subscribing to a zero inbox philosophy can also help. The zero inbox philosophy means that everyday your inbox reverts to a primordial state of complete emptiness. That means your inbox should be cleaned out everyday.

Multitasking was once a buzzword that told the world you could handle the stress, pressure, and rigors of your job. But savvy managers and productive employees know better. Understanding why we multitask, using an effective game plan, and avoiding productivity killers can turn a busy day into an effective day.

By Justin Draeger
NASFAA Assistant Director for Communications

Posted 11/28/07 to www.NASFAA.org. Redistribution to non-NASFAA institutions is prohibited. Please submit Web Site questions or comments to Web@NASFAA.org.