“ It ’ s not about finding time . It ’ s about making time – and prioritising yourself amidst life ’ s chaos .” j
MINDFULNESS
“ It ’ s not about finding time . It ’ s about making time – and prioritising yourself amidst life ’ s chaos .” j
Distractions have become one of the defining features of modern life . The constant inflow of notifications , the compulsion to multitask and the ever-present digital needs from work and home have culminated in what experts now call ‘ the distraction epidemic ’.
For busy assistants , juggling multiple responsibilities and being indispensable , this epidemic has a much deeper effect . Here are some of the impacts – and stats :
w Device overload : People check their smartphones 96 times a day on average . That ’ s approximately once every 10 minutes . For you , this number is likely even higher due to the demands of managing executive schedules , communication and everything else . w Lost time : People ‘ waste ’ a daily average of three and a half hours on their phone . This translates into around 11.5 years in a lifetime ! Imagine if even half of that could be rescued . w Cognitive fragmentation : People spend almost 47 % of their awake hours thinking about something other than what they are currently doing , making them inefficient and dissatisfied . w Information overload : The average person consumes 74 gigabytes of data daily . That is more than what our ancestors encountered in a lifetime . We are the most connected generation in history – yet we are disconnected from ourselves , the present moment and true living .
These statistics could be even more alarming for high level assistants with your multidimensional role . The constant pressure to be accessible at all times adds stress to the mind . Distraction doesn ’ t just cost time – it can affect the ability to excel .
The myth of multitasking We all find ourselves trying to do it all – cooking dinner , replying to emails and scrolling through social media , all at the same time . But here ’ s the truth . We ’ re human beings , not human doings . Unless you ’ re secretly an octopus , it ’ s time to stop juggling everything .
I used to think multitasking was my superpower . I was supermum ; managing a business , a family and volunteering , keeping every ball in the air .
But the reality ? I was doing a lot of things poorly at the same time . My so-called superpower was draining my energy and reducing my effectiveness . Research supports it . Multitasking reduces productivity by up to 40 % and significantly increases stress levels . Only 2 % of the world ’ s population can multitask effectively ; the remaining 98 % lose productivity , focus and efficiency when attempting to do many things at once .
It ’ s time to rethink the glorification of multitasking . Instead of trying to be everything to everyone , consider the power of focusing on one task at a time . You ’ ll find yourself not only accomplishing more but doing it with greater quality and less stress . j
22 Executive PA | Summer Issue 2025