The Myth of Multitasking: Why it Doesn't Work
Let’s throw out our definitions of productivity, stop obsessing over multitasking, and start to REALLY focus more. Warning: this post is meant to convince you to throw out any mindset you have around productivity or multitasking that involves managing your time and getting as much done as possible. Reader discretion is advised.
Warning: this post is meant to convince you to throw out any mindset you have around productivity or multitasking that involves managing your time and getting as much done as possible. Reader discretion is advised.
Years ago I used to think something was wrong with me because I couldn't stay focused. I'd open my laptop to write. Then an hour later I'm reading about what Lindsay Lohan is up to and haven't written a word. Or I'll forget what I went into the kitchen for because a text came through. One time I even put my sweatpants on backward and didn't notice until 6 pm at night. They have these big pockets on the butt and even when they were in the front and I was using them to hold stuff I remained blissfully unaware.
For most people, these types of hilarious and puzzling moments aren't from a diagnosable condition. Mine may be but that's not the point. It's because we get so deep into our thoughts while also trying to do another task that we get these brain blips.
There's a physical phenomenon that happens when you switch tasks and I'll dive more into the science of it later but the point is multitasking doesn't allow you to fully use the power of your brain. My hope is you'll see the harm multitasking causes and shift from the idea that you manage your time to OWNING your time. Promise me you'll be open to shifting that paradigm ok? I want you to feel peace and live a life as simple and authentic as possible and this is going to help you get closer to doing that.
Old Definition of Productivity
Listening to a podcast while answering emails. Talking on the phone while driving. It sounds nice to have multiple things happening at once. We think we're being productive. But what happens when we're constantly not focused on one thing?
On HeartMath.com they say, "Trying to keep pace with high-speed technology and communication multitasking, ever-exploding information, and the fear, anxiety, and anger in ourselves and others can propel our emotions into overload. Stress accumulates during the day and we often take it to bed with us at night, tossing and turning or not sleeping at all."
We already deal with processing our emotions and those of others. When you throw on this insane pressure to always be doing something it can make us short circuit.
Even as I'm writing this post, I had an Instagram story streaming in the background then took a quick break to order food in. Oh, now I answered a message on Asana. Clearly, this is something I need to work on.
We like doing multiple things at once. But have we ever questioned if it actually helps?
Why We're Obsessed with Multitasking
I guess a good question to ask is: If multitasking doesn't improve our performance then why are we so obsessed with doing it? Rudy Vidal in Multitasking Doesn't Work says:
"Multitasking makes us look and feel productive. Processing tasks and crossing things off our To-Do list feels good, and most of us will choose feeling good over being efficient and effective in the long term.
Being more selective about what we do—prioritizing—takes time and effort, and the results aren’t immediately visible. We don’t want to be perceived as lazy or unproductive.
Prioritizing is a risk. It means placing your bets on a few things and disregarding others for the time being. It feels safer to do a little bit of everything."
There's a lot we could unpack from that quote. The ego being the common denominator. It wants to look good and feel good with the least amount of effort. Prioritizing does take more effort and we've been indoctrinated into the "always doing and being busy" culture.
Rudy Vidal says, "Multitasking can make all tasks seem equally important; it doesn’t allow us to consider each deeply or assess their relative value. This can lead to simply reacting to an in-box of problems as they arrive instead of drilling down to their root causes and solving them."
Is that the kind of life you want to live? Forever reacting to and managing outside demands and attention-seeking distractions that bring you nowhere closer to fulfilling your purpose? That's not freedom. Freedom means you own your time. You're deliberate and unafraid to choose a few things and disregard the rest. You trust your inner wisdom to guide you to pick the right priorities and stay open to changing as needed.
These are examples of the external effects of multitasking. What happens underneath the hood so to speak? The brain?
Brain Effects of Multitasking
Let's go back to my multitasking moments from the beginning: opening my laptop to write then spiraling down a clickbait hole. Getting up to get a snack in the kitchen then forgetting what I was doing because a text came through. We won't add wearing sweatpants backward because I'm not sure how common that is.
These types of moments illustrate what Adam Gazzaley, MD says, "how even the simplest forms of multitasking can lead to glitches in the moment-to-moment processing of information known as working memory," He's an associate professor of neurology, physiology, and psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco.
Multitasking takes up our "working memory" aka temporary brain storage. When it's used up we're unable to think as creatively. Researchers at the University of Illinois, Chicago said too much focus makes it hard to daydream and generate the spontaneous ah-ha moments needed to solve a problem.
This may be why Einstein and other famous creatives found daily walks or playing music helpful in solving problems. When you let your mind relax it naturally finds answers for you. Pretty neat right?
Guy Winch says that multitasking is really task-switching. He says, "Moving back and forth between several tasks actually wastes productivity because your attention is expended on the act of switching gears—plus, you never get fully 'in the zone' for either activity."
Nancy K. Napier Ph.D., says, "That start/stop/start process is rough on us. Rather than saving time, it costs time (even very small microseconds). It’s less efficient, we make more mistakes, and over time, it can sap our energy."
It also causes "inattentional blindness" according to researchers in a 2009 study from Western Washington University. They said, "75% of college students who walked across a campus square while talking on their cell phones did not notice a clown riding a unicycle nearby...that even though the cell-phone talkers were technically looking at their surroundings, none of it was actually registering in their brains." Maybe they did notice it but were so embarrassed and weirded out they pretended not to.
Split attention or multitasking also has negative effects on relationships. In a study conducted by researchers from the University of Essex, they say, "the mere presence of mobile phones inhibited the development of interpersonal closeness and trust, and reduced the extent to which individuals felt empathy and understanding from their partners. Results from the second experiment indicated that these effects were most pronounced if individuals were discussing a personally meaningful topic."
Multitasking lowers IQ, reduces the density of gray matter, reduces your ability to control your instincts, and interpret your mood or personal relationships. According to an article on Develop Good Habits they said, "simply sitting close to someone who is multitasking can reduce your own comprehension by up to 17%. This is due to the distraction that can be caused by seeing someone else’s computer screen or actions, which leads your brain to have a need to interpret what you’re seeing. Surprisingly, this takes even more effort than it takes to try to multitask yourself."
Convinced yet that multitasking needs to be kicked to the curb? I hope so. How can you start simplifying your brain and life?
Three Small Ways to Focus More
Choose Your ONE Thing
Rudy Vidal says, "Rather than doing as much as possible, we need to choose the one thing that will contribute the most today to accomplishing our goals." Gary Keller's book The One Thing* is also a fantastic read on this concept. In it, Keller gives you a question to ask yourself anytime you're distracted or wondering what to do next: "What one thing can you do for your life/business/project that by doing it makes other things easier or unnecessary?"
This may seem overwhelming. It was for me. I'm so used to being in a certain flow of habits that even if I'm not being productive it still feels easier to keep thinking about and doing things the same way than stopping and really asking if I'm going where I want to. But give yourself that gift today. Trust that your inner wisdom knows how to guide you.
To figure out that one thing it helps to know what you're aiming for. In five years, how do you want to feel? What do you want your relationships and work life to look like? Who you are in five years isn't the same person listening to this recording. What do you feel will get you closer to catching up to her or him?
For me, I envision a certain amount of money effortlessly coming in, I see the house, the clothing, and everything feels bright. It feels aligned and effortless. And my picture has changed over time. If you can't picture things clearly yet just focus on the feeling part. The key is getting still within and really becoming honest with yourself. Honest about what you want and releasing any judgment from others or yourself. Any guilt about what you "should" be doing. Toss it out.
All you really need to take action is a feeling that resonates with you. Then start. Go. If it's one thing I've learned owning two businesses is that my purpose reveals itself faster when I act. Not when I overthink or stall because I need the perfect plan, software, or education. It's because of the judgments we attach to learning that we're afraid to try. Remove the judgment and now you're simply learning and gathering data.
2. Learn to Meditate
When you learn how to separate yourself from your thoughts and emotions it's easier to focus. Cynthia Kubu and Andre Machado said, "Those who are mindful are able to do more than just pay attention; they do so on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally. This is perhaps the most advanced form of attentiveness, and it can result in decision-making made in a stress-free and less reactive environment. Indeed, many therapies based on mindfulness assist patients suffering from depression, anxiety, chronic pain, substance abuse, ADHD and other conditions."
3. Start Batching Your Work
Guy Winch says, “What tends to save the most time is to do things in batches. Pay your bills all at once, then send your emails all at once. Each task requires a specific mindset, and once you get in a groove you should stay there and finish.”
Two of my favorite ways to eliminate task switching is theming my days and having a done by 5 pm Friday list. Each day is dedicated to a specific kind of work and I don't deviate from that day's work. For example, Thursdays are my content writing days. Anything marketing or client-related gets written down in my phone notes or scheduled for another day. Then I get back to work.
Then, every Monday I decide 3 things that if I got them done by 5 pm Friday would get me closer to my one thing. This helps re-align me when I find myself say clicking a link about celebrities who lost their fame and are working 9-5 jobs now. When I realize how distracted I am I can look at my planner and know exactly what my mind is supposed to be focused on.
If these kinds of tips resonate with you then you'd love my productivity eBook/mini-course. It's a roadmap (workbook-style) that helps you set up productivity practices that flow with who you already are and gives you more peace. If you want to start owning your time and getting more with less effort then get on the waiting list now. The link is in the show notes.
Affirmation
I intend to follow the path my soul leads me down and take aligned action with confidence and joy. I know that emotions are powerful and that I can live a life I truly love.
Do This Today
Download the Headspace app and try meditation for ten minutes.
Writing Prompt
What's the ONE thing I want to focus on if I were to be honest with myself?
Resources
Get The One Thing* by Gary Keller.
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