3 reasons why multitasking can save your career

If your job feels as though it’s draining you, try this: Take on more meaningful work. Even if you feel overworked, doing more may end up making you feel more centred and whole. Here’s how.

People stuck in a job that they find dull can learn a lot from “harmonic careerists.” These are people who do multiple jobs simultaneously, rather than focusing on a single, monolithic career. Although conventional wisdom suggests that switching from task to task undermines productivity, harmonic careerists say that the energy they get from juggling improves their productivity and outweighs any negatives.

While you don’t have to take on multiple jobs, the traits that harmonic careerists share when it comes to engaging with work and staying fulfilled can be valuable:

1. They make their own choices

The voluntary nature of their chosen path is key to their sense of ownership and engagement, and the joy they find in work. Research shows that when people have multiple roles that are voluntary, they derive psychological benefits from receiving positive feedback from each domain.

2. They allow their work to evolve

Harmonic careerists do not seem tied down to particular work roles. In fact, many of them are open to changes that happen in their careers. They take direction from their own sense of meaningfulness in deciding how to focus their work energies. If they feel the surge of positive emotions that they’re looking for, they’ll keep a job, sometimes for a long time. If not, they’ll move on after a while and try something else.

3. They are true to their passions

They refuse to fit neatly into a box. Harmonic careerists remind us that work is sometimes a worthwhile end in itself, regardless of remuneration. For them, money is often secondary to personal fulfilment. Once they’re happy with a new role, they put effort into maintaining it, even if there’s no significant financial benefit.

In association with Harvard Business Review