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What'd be a good word (noun) for "dividing one's time between various tasks"?

E.g., when you refer to an employee that works on several projects in a given month, but not necessarily on more than one activity at any given time.

Multitasking does not seem to be the best choice here. Any alternatives?

GoHokies
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  • If you've rejected multitasking because you're only working on one thing at any given moment, how about *timeslicing?* – FumbleFingers Jul 24 '15 at 13:05
  • Why do you say "multitasking" does not seem to be the best choice here? What do you feel is inadequate about that word? – Dan Bron Jul 24 '15 at 13:11
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    he/she (the employee) does not have to work on more than one task at a time (for example, one week on task A, three weeks on task B). I'm under the impression that multitasking implies that (at least some of) the tasks overlap in time... – GoHokies Jul 24 '15 at 13:36
  • That could be considered "juggling projects" which has a high degree of informality. Most employees have to do something called "time management" to allow enough time, through planning, for all the projects they are assigned to complete in any given period of time. – Kristina Lopez Jul 24 '15 at 13:49
  • Several irons in the fire. Means a few things going on simultaneously but not being hammered on the anvil at the same time. – stevesliva Jul 25 '15 at 00:35

7 Answers7

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In many industries a person who moves from task to task is known as a floater.

Floater: a worker who moves from job to job; especially without fixed duties [ Merriam-Webster]

Edwin Ashworth
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Zan MacArthur
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  • thanks, but floater has a negative connotation. – GoHokies Jul 24 '15 at 13:38
  • I've worked in businesses where a floater fills in for employees that are out on sick leave or taking vacation. I didn't get a sense of that type of function from the OP. The question sounds more like someone who's responsibilities include a number of different projects that all need to be worked on but not serially (in other words, they're not required to complete one before moving onto the others). – Kristina Lopez Jul 24 '15 at 16:32
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"dividing one's time between various tasks"

You just described my daily life.

I'm constantly "juggling" tasks and priorities throughout the day.

I'm not necessarily multitasking because I focus on the project at hand and shut everything else out. But I know that in a short while I'll be on another project.

Misti
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Michael Benjamin
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In computer science, we use scheduling referring to the management of resources (including human time) assigned to a given amount of tasks.

midobal
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Job rotation (mass noun):

The practice of moving employees between different tasks to promote experience and variety

'Most employers in this sector focused on internal reshuffling and job rotation initiatives, instead of taking on new staff.'

Source: ODO

Types of rotation include:

Task rotation, which usually takes place in jobs that involve a high degree of physical demands on the body, or a high degree of repetitive tasks that can become extremely tedious.

Position rotation is the process of laterally moving an employee to different positions, departments or geographical locations for the purposes of professionally developing the employee by exposing them to new knowledge, skills and perspectives.

Source: Study.com: Introduction to Management

Further information on job rotation is available at: Wikipedia

Julie Carter
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monochronic: having a linear time orientation where only one thing can be accomplished at a time.

Jimmy
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In a software sort of context, something of this nature could be referred to as Load Balancing FWIW

MegaMark
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Process. (Processing) The art of moving from one task to another over the course of minutes or hours in a day, or days in a week, etc; not excluding overlapping tasks.

user309268
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