Why multitasking is killing your productivity

Here’s why you’re wrong about multitasking being a good thing.

In fact, there actually no such thing as multitasking.

For years, I’ve been told that multitasking is a valuable skill for increasing productivity. 

I found that multitasking actually just leads to stress, burnout and low morale.

So why is the idea of multitasking still so popular in time management advice?

Let’s actually examine this more closely:

🧠 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗘𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁

→ When we think we’re multitasking, we’re actually switching rapidly between tasks, not doing them simultaneously. 

→ This continuous shift forces the brain to refocus again and again, costing you a bit of your energy and cognitive resources - I think of this as as ‘brain tax’.

⌛ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗸

Attempting to juggle multiple tasks at once can lead to several negative outcomes:

❌ Increased Errors and Lower Quality: With your focus divided, the likelihood of mistakes increases and the work you produce will be of lower quality.

❌ Longer Task Completion Time: Studies show that attempting to multitask can actually DOUBLE the time it takes to complete tasks.

❌ Higher Stress: The brain strain of managing multiple streams of information at once can lead to higher stress levels and burnout.

📈 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗗𝗼 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱

✅ Prioritise: Determine what’s urgent and important, and tackle those tasks with focused attention. Systems like the Eisenhower Matrix can be extremely helpful.

✅ Time Blocking: Allocate specific time blocks to individual tasks, especially those needing deep focus, creativity and problem-solving.

✅ Take Scheduled Breaks: Regular breaks can refresh your mind and improve your ability to concentrate on tasks for longer periods.

Effective time management is the cornerstone of personal and business success

True productivity comes from single-tasking - devoting our full attention and effort to one task at a time.

💬 Have you found that focusing on one task at a time has improved your productivity? Share your experiences or any strategies you’ve used to combat the multitasking trap.

✉️ Want more? Drop me a message if you to improve your team’s organisation, focus and time management.