With a never-ending list of demands for our time and attention, squeezing more productivity out of our days is imperative. Multitasking may seem like the answer. Doing multiple things at once means being more efficient and effective, right? 

Wrong. 

Not only is multi-tasking a myth, it's also quite costly. Here's what you need to know.

What Happens When We Multitask?

The human brain is not designed to do two things at once, especially when those tasks compete for the same mental resources (like information processing ability or attention). What actually happens during multitasking is that we switch back and forth between the tasks at lightening speed, sometimes so quickly that we feel like we're doing the tasks simultaneously. You're not. Again, our brains are not designed to do that.

Think of multitasking like trying to type in two Word documents at the same time. It's not possible. What actually happens is that you open one document, type whatever, then open the other document to type in it, going back and forth. 

With that in mind, it's more accurate to think of multitasking as task switching, albeit sometimes incredibly rapidly. So, what happens behind the scenes in our brains when we try to multitask? 

Behind the Scenes of Multitasking

Think of your brain as a biological computer with its capacity limited by the specs of its hardware and software. Our memory, processing speed, and cognitive networks are impressive but limited. We simply do not have infinite bandwidth.

When we do a task, our mental controls get configured for that specific task, and they have to be reconfigured every time we start a new task. This involves goal identification and rule activation. 

Goal identification involves establishing a target for the new task. This target helps our brains allocate resources in the directions they need to go (e.g., paying attention to information that is relevant to the task at hand while filtering out information that is not).

Task switching also requires our brain to activate the appropriate rules to govern that task. Think of it like shutting down an app or program we're no longer using and launching a new one. These rules dictate what we do and don't do, and each task has its own unique set that must be launched. 

All of this mental control reconfiguration happens behind the scenes, out of conscious awareness, which is helpful honestly, but it's not free. 

The Hidden Costs of Multitasking

Switching between those metaphorical Word documents comes with some real costs. Let's highlight three of them.

1. Time

Ironically, we multitask under the false pretense that doing so will save us time and make us more efficient. In reality, study after study shows that multitasking actually makes tasks take longer to complete, up to 40% longer! And the more complex the tasks we're switching between are, the more time it takes for our brains to make that switch. Even if it only takes a few tenths of a second to switch from one task to the other - hardly perceptible to us in the moment - those tiny fractions add up, especially if you are going back and forth repeatedly all day (i.e., answering a DM while checking email while working on a project).

2. Accuracy

Greater multitasking is associated with a higher number of errors. Our mental resources are being spread too thin, and we end up making mistakes or not catching issues as readily as we might otherwise.

3. Mental fatigue

All of that task switching back and forth eats up our precious mental resources like attention and energy leaving us feeling more drained without anything extra to show for it. This mental drain happens even more quickly when multitasking involves complex tasks. Just as leaving a lot of apps open and running in the background will drain your cell phone battery more quickly, the more mental apps we have running at once, the more drained we become.

Monthly Tips 

This month, cut down on the hidden costs of multitasking with these strategies.

1. Single tasking

Single tasking is exactly what it sounds like: focusing fully on one task at a time. It's the opposite of multitasking and will help conserve your important resources like time, attention, and mental energy. Your performance and efficiency are likely to improve, too.

2. Encourage your teams to single task as well.

You can do that by:

• calendar blocking
• creating a culture that respects dedicated work time
• batching emails (responding to email at designated times)
• reducing chatter on slack or other instant messaging platforms
• modeling single tasking (i.e., lead by example)

3.  Allow transition time between tasks

Particularly for more complex tasks, give your brain a little bit of a break in between. Some studies suggest that allowing a little transition time, rather than going immediately from one complex task to the next, may reduce some of the costs of multitasking.

4. Cultivate a mindfulness practice

Mindfulness helps your brain build a suit of armor against distractions, allowing you to more effectively and more fully single task. You can use an app, take a course, or attend our live workshop next week to get a jump start.

If you're interested in finding out other ways your team can build psychological strength, boost resilience, and enhance performance, email us at [email protected] or contact us here. 

"The man who chases two rabbits catches neither."

 - Confucius