The Myth of Multi-Tasking

Multitasking or the act of doing many things at once is a myth. What happens in the brain is that we develop the ability to go back and forth at a rapid rate between two or more tasks (toggling). Is multitasking faster than completing one activity at a time? New research shows that we complete tasks more quickly if we work on one task at a time.

When we switch between tasks, we lose momentum and take longer because we need to re-engage our brain in the task in front of us. Multitasking is like driving a car by pushing down on the gas and then applying the brake, rather than consistently holding your foot on the gas. In the first example, you get to your destination using more fuel from the stop-start motion. Another disadvantage is that your emotional resiliency is affected as you surge your energy in this fashion. In the example of driving at a consistent pace, you engage for maximum efficiency and keep a steady energy rate through the process.

Does that mean we should never try to toggle? No. We should selectively toggle in low-cognitive or simple tasks where rapid switching between habitual activities, like grabbing what we need to get out the door in the morning.  Routine activities have the advantage of being hard-wired into the brain and thus require less energy to complete. 

We would slow down to complete complex tasks or engage in deep thinking in an ideal practice. So, the next time you find yourself trying to do two or more things at once, ask if this task is important enough to have my full attention?