Secrets to Multi-Tasking Like Leighton Meester

Healthy SELF, SELF Magazine

By Ashley Mateo, SELF magazine

Leighton Meester's schedule is jam-packed this month--in addition to the actress's Gossip Girl duties, she's been spotted all over the country promoting her upcoming thriller, The Roommate. How does she stay sane?

Related: Is Everyone Else Really Happier Than You?

Running from one obligation to the next can be super stressful, whether it's back-to-back meetings at work or too many social events in one week. One might argue that Meester got all her crazy out while filming her Single White Female-esque flick (check out the trailer below), but there are definitely healthier ways to manage your schedule when you've got too much to handle. We turned to Laura Vanderkam, author of 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think, to find out how tackle multiple projects without losing your mind.

What's the best way to establish a calm mindset before taking on your to-do list?

Make a list of everything that's a priority for you that week, and then make sure there's a set time on your calendar for accomplishing those things. Throw in something fun at the end of the week--a dinner with friends, maybe, or a movie you want to see. That way, despite a busy schedule, you'll know there's something good at the end of it.

Should you start a big project first thing in the morning, or wait until you've accomplished a few smaller tasks?

I like first thing in the morning, because life has a way of thwarting even our best plans. If you put off a big project for later, something else may come up--another client needs something, a family issue, even a technical problem--and you won't get everything done. Small projects can fit around interruptions. Big projects can't.

Related:How to Get A Grip On Stress

When prioritizing, what kind of tasks should be at the top of the list and the bottom of the list?

Tasks toward the top of the list should include things you love and do best, and that others can't do nearly as well. This means activities that are advancing your career (an important meeting with your boss, a night class), nurturing your family and friends (meeting your sister, who's going through a rough patch) and nurturing yourself (exercise, a volunteer project you're passionate about). Push toward the bottom things that aren't as important (tidying the house, TV, etc.).

What happens when you get stuck on a project? How do you keep yourself moving down your list?

Give yourself a set amount of time for that project (maybe 2 hours) and force yourself to do something. At the end of two hours, take a break, look at your schedule and find a space for another 2 hour session, and then move on to something else. You won't waste time when you're getting no where, but you also won't feel guilty, because you know you've committed to a later time to finish up.

Related: Find out how to boost your winter mood!

Should you multi-task, or tackle projects separately?

In general, it's better to focus on one activity at once, do it, then move on. If you try to check emails while writing a memo, you'll constantly lose your train of thought. Typing on your iPhone while someone is talking to you is just rude. The exception is if you're doing something that doesn't involve much of your brain; feel free to go for a walk while talking to a friend, for instance.

What's the most generally accepted number of tasks that one person should handle at once? Why?

I try to choose three to five main priorities for a day. When you aim for more than that, you court failure. If the entire day fell apart, which three activities would still make it a success? Do those first. If you have time left over, you can consider taking on something else.

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Is it a given that when multi-tasking, you won't be giving any one project 100%?

Pretty much. Our brains don't really multi-task. We toggle back and forth, losing time on every switch. If you have four projects, rather than trying to do them all at once, spend a few hours on each with short breaks in between. Given how much multi-tasking goes on in our society, people are often amazed how much they can get done when they focus!

Do you have any quick stress-relief tips for when you're overwhelmed in the middle of a project?

Go somewhere else. Run up and down the stairs for ten minutes, or even better, go outside and walk a quick lap around the parking lot or down the street. The fresh air will boost your spirits, and the break will help you concentrate when you get back.

Related:Yoga Moves to De-Stress At Your Desk

What is the one indispensable piece of advice you can give a procrastinator?

You may be avoiding a certain task because you think it will take more time than it actually will, or that it has to be perfect. If you are truly stuck, tell yourself you only have to work on the project for thirty minutes, and you can produce absolutely horrible work. See if you can make the work comically horrible! Then go do something else. Try again the next day. Eventually the work will be less horrible, and you'll see that you're making progress.

Catch Leighton Meester in The Roommate on February 4, and on Gossip Girl every Monday at 9 p.m. on The CW!

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Photo Credit: WWD