A huge cause of mistakes in the work place are caused by multi-tasking too many projects in too little time. Replying to emails while checking voicemails and listening to your co-worker’s story about his dog is bound to slow down each task and lead it to be done less effectively.

Our brains are fantastic processors, but they have their limits. Yes, it is possible to do multiple things at once, but it increases the time it takes for our brain to process our thoughts about each task and it is more likely to “cross wires” between tasks and make a mistake.

Wouldn’t it make more sense for us to slow down, take 5 minutes to do a task, do it well and then move on to the next task? While you might feel more productive doing two things at once, stop mistaking activity for productivity.

E-mail is the easiest communication tool available to the corporate professional these days. Between “reply all”, “listservs” and “just checking in” emails, it is not difficult to see your Inbox fill up and spiral out of control. This phenomenon is compounded by Blackberrys, iPhones and PDAs where people can be accessible 24/7/365. It is impossible to escape from the constant barrage, or so it seems.

It is most effective for the working professional to “batch” their email readings and responses. Every hour, set aside some time to read and reply to your emails. Turn off your email notification in the meantime so that you’re not distracted from “veggies” by email “dings”. Color code your email rules so that you can know what emails you need to address first. For example, have all of your bosses emails be colored red. That way you know that you need to open, read and reply to those emails first. Have emails from friends and family be colored another way so that you know to read those over lunch or after you finish your “veggies”.

By using email rules, removing notifications and batching your reading/response time, you will be better able to control the deluge into your Inbox.

I’ve been in the industry of corporate training & development for over 13 years now. I’ve heard it all, seen it all and been through it all when it comes to corporate training sessions. One thing that consistently lacks, when it should be one of the most prevalent threads, is employees who are putting any sort of mental closure on their work day. They are working late, bringing work home with them either physically or emotionally or mentally, sleeping poorly, waking up unrefreshed and when they arrive back at the office they feel like they’ve never left. They haven’t!

In order to have a successful work life AND a successful home life, it is imperative that employees learn to close out their day. Put a cap on their work and start setting up for tomorrow. By making that clean mental break between today and tomorrow, they are assured that their tomorrow will start better and that their tonight will be a refreshing break from work.