While you’re reading this your attention is likely pulled in multiple directions. Maybe you just saw a push notification, or need to look up to check that you don’t miss your stop on the subway. Most of us are inundated constantly with demands for our attention. So I don’t need to tell you how stressful it feels. It can be tempting (and sometimes necessary) to try to attend to two tasks simultaneously. Sometimes, it’s harmless — like listening to a podcast while working out. Other times, trying to pay attention to more than one thing at a time costs us more than we might realize. What feels like productivity actually burns out our cognitive systems and increases our stress. Also, in most cases, trying to do more than one thing simultaneously is less efficient than taking each task one at a time.
How Your Brain Handles Simultaneous Demands
Intentionally trying to tackle more than one task at the same time is often referred to as multitasking. In our busy, fast-paced lives, multitasking can seem natural and even necessary. Sometimes, we take a phone call while making dinner. In many professional settings where productivity is idealized as a sign of excellence, multitasking can be encouraged and rewarded.
In fact, our brains do not actually multitask. When we try to attend to more than one thing at a time, we are rapidly switching attention between tasks (referred to as task switching). We tune into the phone conversation and then shift back to making dinner. It happens so rapidly, we sometimes don’t notice the switching. Because of the way our brains function to handle tasks, this process of switching back and forth between tasks increases our burden and extends the time it takes for us to complete each task. And, we are more likely to make errors.
In order to switch from one task to another, our brains use executive controls to shift away from one goal and toward another (“I want to check my texts now instead of writing”). Next, our brains must organize around the behaviors and information relevant for the new task (i.e., contextualizing and reading the text). All of this can happen outside of our awareness in a few tenths of a second. However, the costs add up when we rapidly switch back and forth at a high rate of frequency over long periods.
The Costs of “Multitasking”
Try it — grab paper and something to write with, or open an app you like to type in. Set the timer for one minute. Now, alternate between typing or writing the alphabet on one line and a sequential number line below it. You’ll first write the letter A, then start a line below it with the number 1. Go back to the first line to type B, and back down to the second line to type 2, and so on until you’re finished or your timer dings. Now, set your one-minute timer and try doing one task and then the other — write the alphabet on the first line and then a number line below it. What did you notice? It took me twice as long to complete the tasks when I moved back and forth between them. I even made errors.
This is exactly what research shows. Decades of studies show that when we try to tackle more than one task at a time, it takes us longer and we make more errors. Some studies show we can lose as much as 40% of our productivity when we switch between tasks rather than tackle them one at a time (Rubinstein, Meyer & Evens, 2021). Additionally, the effort of holding the first task in mind so that you can return to it (called working memory) increases our cognitive load. A high cognitive load can lead to all sorts of problems: mental fatigue, decreased concentration, poor decision-making, impaired ability to plan, poorer problem-solving, and difficulty sustaining focus. If you’re someone who is often juggling multiple tasks simultaneously, you probably recognize a few of those experiences in yourself.
Researchers are working to understand how digital multitasking (having multiple tabs open, switching between multiple apps and devices) may specifically impact our functioning. Digital multitasking is associated with decreased cognitive control, distractibility, poorer working memory, and difficulty filtering out irrelevant information. When we aren’t able to filter out irrelevant information, we are left with more information to process, which leads to more fatigue and stress (Hasan, 2024).
Yes, the stress you feel when you are trying to do two things simultaneously is measurable in your body. Multitasking activates the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight; Becker et al, 2022). One recent study of hospital employees found that digital work interruptions were associated with higher levels of cortisol and higher rates of burnout (Kaltenegger et al, 2023). Other studies have linked digital multitasking with depression and anxiety (Becker, Alzahabi, & Hopwood, 2013).
The Power of Monotasking
We utilize our brain power much more effectively and with greater ease when we do one thing at a time (often referred to as monotasking or single-tasking). In our busy, stimulated environments, what does doing one thing at a time actually look like?
Pick your battles: Task switching generally creates more problems as the difficulty of the tasks increases. So, if you want to continue your habit of reading an e-book while you brush your teeth, go for it. Consider trying to minimize task switching when you’re doing something more complicated or high-stress. You might start by making a list of tasks you hope to accomplish today. Then, pick the ones you want to give your full attention to.
Be intentional: Decide in advance how long you want to dedicate to the task or how much progress you want to make. Setting a timer can be useful. Be mindful of your urges to get up for that glass of water or swipe over to your email. Practice keeping your attention focused on the task at hand until your time or progress goal has been met. Or, if you decide to move on to something else, do it intentionally and with a plan that sets you up to return more easily to your first task when you’re ready (i.e., make a note of where you left off and what your next step will be).
Protect “do not disturb” time: Practice noticing what interruptions create distractions for you and where your attention is pulled. Is it the notifications on your phone? Is it the bing of an incoming email? Allow yourself protected periods when you can set your phone to “do not disturb,” close your email, or close the door to your office.
Communicate with others: Let collaborators and significant others know when you do not want to be disturbed. This might look like giving a heads-up that you’re disappearing to another room for thirty minutes. Or it might look like a gentle “I want to look at that with you as soon as I’m finished with this. Can you give me ten more minutes?”
