Multi-tasking is overrated.
In fact, it actually makes us less productive in the office and more prone to making mistakes, according to researchers at Stanford University. Evidence also suggests multi-tasking may be killing our creativity.
If you really want to get things done, you need to stay focused and create personal connections with people, Y Combinator partner Sam Altman writes on his blog.
A lot of early-stage startups try to take on too much at once and don’t have a clear set of priorities.
“For whatever reasons, many founders love to spend time on anything else—worrying about the details of corporate structures, interviewing lawyers, doing a really good job bookkeeping, etc.,” Altman writes. “All of this pretending-to-run-a-company gets in the way of actually running a company.”
YC advises startups to focus on writing code and talking to users. The best companies are excited to talk about evolving the product for the sake of their users, Altman says.
But it’s hard to accomplish great things on your own. That’s why it’s critical to always recruit and promote talented people.
Head on over to Altman’s blog to read the full post. It’s a great read.