Which do you prefer - multi-tasking or performing one task at a time? I remember when I was a young lawyer at one of the leading law firms in Kuala Lumpur, the Senior Partner used to tell the young lawyers that we must learn how to multi-task. According to the Senior Partner, multi-tasking to a lawyer means while balancing the telephone receiver between your face and your shoulder, your hands should also be working. One hand will be flipping through the file while the other one hand will be jotting important points into your legal notepad. All of these are done simultaneously while you are speaking to your client! At that time, the law firm was having major staff movement, (ie: staff members leaving to join other firms), therefore we were in urgent need of getting replacement staff but the Senior Partner was in no hurry to get them, thus the advice of “multi-tasking” to the lawyers.
I would humbly submit that all of us multi-tasked every week if not everyday in our lives. Really? Yes, for example, listening to music and reading a book or newspaper. Another example, would be leaving the television on and surfing the internet on your computer. You will noticed that when a person multi-tasked, the person is in fact enhancing the use of more than one of his or her senses (ie: visual, auditory and kinesthetic). If we look at the first example, the person is sharpening both his or her visual and auditory senses (ie: reading a book and listening to music) simultaneously. It is a challenge to focus on more than one thing at a time but if you can achieve that, then you are in a pretty good standing.
As for me, multi-tasking is quite a challenge for me. The reason is because I am not a very patient person. When a person is impatient, the person gets distracted very quickly and sometimes get his or her priority wrong. For example, say I am working on a complicated case and began to make some progress when suddenly another file marked “URGENT” was placed on my table with the instructions that the Agreement must be prepared and ready by tomorrow for discussion. Before I could even put down that file, another file was placed on my table that pleadings are to be prepared and file in Court by 4.00pm the next day. Meanwhile, phone calls have been coming in constantly disrupting my focus and concentration on my files in hand. So what should I do in such circumstances? Panic? That would be the natural response but as we know (at least logically), panicking would not benefit anyone. As a matter of fact, panicking would be a waste of time and it will hinder us from moving forward. From my past experience, I can say that I would be spending more time worrying what am I going to do rather than actually moving forward and doing it. That was until I saw an old experience lawyer at work. Given a similar situation, this man would coolly take his legal notepad and neatly write down what he needed to do. I noticed his movements were pretty constant as if he has got all the time in the world. After writing down all his tasks, he leaned back on his chair and gave some thoughts to what he needed to do. After giving some thoughts, he began to number his tasks based on what he felt should be the priority. I looked at this man with admiration and I asked him how could he remain so cool in such circumstances. Surprisingly, he could still looked at me and gave me a smile even though there were so many pressing matters that needed to be attended to. He said to me, “Just because they put the file on my table and needed it to be done by such and such date doesn’t mean that I have to accept that instruction. If it is so “URGENT” as they said, then they should have given me the file much earlier. I know how to access my own ability and time management. No point stressing unnecessary. I will tell them that all of my work are done to my best of ability. I do not believe in doing “half past six” (Malaysian colloquial for half heartedly) work, I have my reputation to maintain. If they insist that they want it to be done tomorrow, they can take the work somewhere else. We don’t need such clients. Some of the other files, I have put a mark on it so that I can delegate to other lawyers who can handle it. You see, you don’t have to panic, take one step at a time and don’t think too much otherwise it will affect your health.” That was a good piece of advice - “Take one step at a time. Don’t think too much”. You see, many a times, we tend to over think and worry. It is fine to worry because you are concern but if you have done all that you can, then be satisfied and “take one step at a time”. As the Greek philosopher, Heraclitus said, “The only constant is change” and who knows, between now and the future, things may change again and you will need to adapt to that change and make it beneficial to you.
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