get things done faster

The One-Tab Rule: Get Things Done Faster And With Better Results

There’s no doubt that the web offers us limitless possibilities to get things done. The downside is that there are too many distractions, and you can easily get pulled away from one browser tab to another.

Most people spend more time than they care to admit in a browser.

You know that feeling you get when you open more than one browser window, and it’s just not as productive?

Getting things done or staying productive can be a challenge when you keep switching between ten tabs.

Keeping track of your to-dos and personal projects can be a hassle if you can’t focus on one task at a time.

I’ve been there. It’s still a daily battle.

We all need a better way of managing our time and focusing on our work.

Try the one-tab challenge.

I’ve been using it for deep work sessions. It’s harder than it sounds, though, but it’s not impossible. It requires a lot of discipline.

But once you make it a productivity habit, you will increase your output, and your progress will be much more significant.

“Success demands singleness of purpose. You need to be doing fewer things for more effect instead of doing more things with side effects. It is those who concentrate on but one thing at a time who advance in this world,” writes Gary Keller, in his book, The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results.

Your deep or focused work sessions can be more productive if you commit to the one-tab challenge.

You can get more done in a single browser tab. Most deep work sessions last for about an hour before taking a break. Use one tab to get things done faster.

It removes all the distractions you think are things that urgently need your attention. Your only essential work is the task at hand; every other task may seem important, but they are productivity traps.

You’re forced to keep too many things organized when you open so many tabs. You use a lot more cognitive energy when you jump from one task to another.

You can accomplish so much more in a single browser tab. One tab at a time is a better approach to getting things done.

It removes web distractions and helps you focus on a single task at a time.

Try working in a single tab for a week to improve your chances of ticking off more things in a single workday. Open a second tab only when it is absolutely necessary and helps you get the main work done.

Sometimes it feels like the only way to get through all your work is to have multiple browser windows open at once. But we tend to waste more time following up, checking an email or reacting to a new message.

There are now more browser-specific tools, tabs extensions and plugins you can use to make the process more successful. Browser tab management can help you do more in a single week than most people do in a month.

We all want to get things done and keep up with the world around us. The great news is there are plenty of tools out there to help us do just that, one tab at a time.

If you work better in chunks, the single-tab rule can do wonders for your productivity. It’s a small change.

And yes, it’s easier said than done, but by learning how to work efficiently with a single browser window, you’ll be able to accomplish more in less time.

Multiple tabs may feel like you are on top of all your tasks, but you can get more done if you tackle your tasks one at a time.

“When we think we’re multitasking we’re actually multi switching. That is what the brain is very good at doing — quickly diverting its attention from one place to the next. We think we’re being productive. We are, indeed, busy. But in reality, we’re simply giving ourselves extra work,” says Michael Harris.

It’s easy to get sucked into the digital web and forget about your most important tasks for the day; use the one-tab principle to single task efficiently.

Try ticking things off one tab at a time; of course, some work demand a few more tabs. The one-tab rule is meant to help you get things done faster.

If you need a few tabs to help you finish the task, open them, but close them done you are done. The aim is to remove unnecessary tabs and distractions. Make it work for you, not against you.

This article originally appeared in Medium.