Learn to Say No and End Your Multitasking!

Johanna Rothman@johannarothmanwww.jrothman.com

© 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman

A Little History

• My first story of multitasking

• I wrote an article about how to say no with visualizations

• https://www.jrothman.com/mpd/portfolio-management/2017/02/visualize-your-work-so-you-can-say-no/

• Turned into a 4-part series plus the article

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© 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman

Raise your hand if you like multitasking among several projects.

Keep your hand up if you are multitasking.

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© 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman

What Are You Supposed to Do First?

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© 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman

What’s the Problem?

• Too many simultaneous projects

• Your team members are not available when you are

• Too much interrupting work

• Effects of multitasking on technical work is invisible

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Possible Cause

• Resource Efficiency

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Possible Solution

• Flow Efficiency

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© 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman

Ask Some Questions

• “Can We Add More People?”

• “What Should I Stop Doing?”

• “These Are the Risks I See …”

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Visualize Your Work

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Possible Board Refinement

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My Board

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Value of Paper

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Park Work in a Parking Lot

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What Roads Look Like at 100% Utilization

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100% Utilization is for Machines

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© 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman

It doesn’t matter how many projects you start.

What matters is how many projects you finish. And when.

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© 2017 Johanna Rothman@johannarothman

Let’s Stay in Touch

• Pragmatic Manager:

• www.jrothman.com/pragmaticmanager

• Please link with me on LinkedIn

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