Multitasking used to be the buzz word and everyone thought it was the ultimate productivity hack, me included. I used to pride myself being a multitasker. I thought I got a ton done in less time.
But here’s the thing: I was completely wrong.
Multitasking is a time waster, and it’s actually working against you. Now I know better and you can, too. if you feel like there’s never enough time in the day, multitasking might be the hidden culprit. Let’s break it down.
Why Multitasking Is a Huge Time Waster
Your Brain Can Only Focus on One Thing at a Time
You might think you’re able to perform two (or even three) things at once such as watching TV while cooking dinner. However, we are actually kidding ourselves if we think that’s the case, because the brain can only focus on one thing truly at a time. The brain isn’t actually multitasking – it’s task-switching.
Every time you task-switch, your brain jumps from one task to another and has to refocus. You might think this is not a big deal, but it actually is. Every task-switch wastes energy and slows you down. We only have so much energy to go around before we experience a lack of focus and start to feel tired and exhausted.
Do you remember a time when you were deep in focus, only to get interrupted by your partner with a question? Suddenly, your entire train of thought is gone and you can’t remember what you wanted to write down. The worst is, it takes a minute to get back into the flow and that’s the cost of multitasking.
Example: A study conducted by the Loughborough University found that we check our emails on average every five minutes. After every check, it takes around 64 seconds to refocus and get back to what you were working on before. If you do the maths this means we’re wasting on average 10 minutes every hour – imagine what you could to with that extra time!
Multitasking Makes Everything Take Longer
Apart from multitasking being a huge time waster, it also makes tasks take longer. We think multitasking helps us get more done in less time, but another study found that it makes tasks take up to 30% longer to complete.
On top of that, when you switch between tasks:
- You make more mistakes and decisions
- You hurt your creativity
- You feel mentally drained faster
If you’ve ever wondered why you feel suer tired by the end of the day, even though you didn’t finish everything on your to-do list—multitasking is part of the problem.
You’re Constantly Stopping and Starting
Multitasking feels productive for sure, but it actually breaks your focus over and over again.
Imagine you’re working on a project and you’re in the zone, then you pause to check a notification, answer a text message, or reply to an email. Even though these actions seem small, every tiny interruption and distraction pulls your brain away from your deep work—and it takes way longer to get back into the zone.
Want to be more productive and get more done in less time? Focus on singletasking- one thing at a time.
How to Stop Multitasking and Get Your Time Back
So, by now you can see that multitasking is a time waster—but how do you actually break the habit? The key is to train your brain to focus on one task at a time while reducing distractions that compete for your attention.
Here are a few simple strategies to help you ditch multitasking, get more done, and finally feel in control of your time.
1. Start With a Brain Dump
One of the reasons we multitask is that we’re holding too much information in our heads.
- Take a few minutes to write down everything on your mind
- Identify your top 3 priorities for the day
- Work on them in sequence – one at a time
(Want more strategies? Grab my free Quick Wins Workbook!)
2. Limit Notifications
The most common distractions that pull us away are caused by notifications on our phones as well as computers.
- Turn of email and Teams / Zoom notifications
- Put your phone in a drawer, in a different room, your purse when you’re at work – or at least put it on the table with the screen facing down
- Schedule time to check your notifications such as every two hours or at set times
The fewer little things pulling at your attention, the easier it is to focus.
3. Plan for Deep Work
Sometimes, multitasking happens because we don’t set aside dedicated focus time. Instead of reacting to everything around you, block off time for deep work.
- Set a focus hour aside for uninterrupted work – no distractions, no getting some tea, just one task and real work
- Set a timer for a clear start and end time, keeping you accountable
- Set your do not disturb mode in Teams
This helps you get into the zone or flow state, where you work faster, better, and with more focus.
My Final Thoughts: You Want More Free Time? Stop Multitasking.
If you always feel like there’s never enough time, one of the simplest ways to change this is to ditch multitasking for good and opt for singletasking. Focus on working on one task at a time. After you’ve finished one task, move on to the next one.
Because multitasking isn’t making you more productive—it’s stealing your time. So let’s take it back.
👉 Grab my free Feel On Top Of Your Tasks Workbook for quick, 10-minute strategies to help you get more done, and finally feel in control of your time!
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