The myth of multitasking – why does it reduce performance?

Multitasking has long been a symbol of efficiency: it suggested that those who pay attention to several things at once are faster, more flexible and more productive. However, cognitive research has made it clear that this is simply an illusion. Our brains are not capable of performing two complex tasks in parallel – they only switch between activities very quickly. However, this switching comes with a significant “switching cost”: each time you have to pick up the thread, retune your attention and rebuild your concentration.

As a result, multitasking actually slows you down, makes you tired and increases the number of errors. According to research, performance can decrease by up to 40% if we try to work on several tasks at once. Even worse news is that in the long run, mental capacity deteriorates, stress levels increase and it becomes much more difficult to stay present on a task even when we want to.

The good news, however, is that the attention system can be reprogrammed. If we learn to focus on only one thing at a time – using the so-called “single-tasking” method – our functioning improves dramatically. It also helps a lot to consciously designate focus blocks, during which we exclude all distracting factors. It is also worth visually simplifying the work environment and starting the day with a clear task list.

Letting go of multitasking is liberating: we can finally experience the experience of calm, deep concentration again. Performance increases, the number of errors decreases, and perhaps most importantly: mental energy lasts much longer. The pace of the modern world cannot be kept up by tearing ourselves apart in several directions – but by learning to pay as much attention to one thing as possible at a time.