The myth of multi-tasking vs. the art of single-tasking

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In my 20’s I took pride in my multi-tasking abilities. I think I may have even included it as a ‘strength’ on my CV! Hell-bent on achieving as much as possible every day, this was the only way I could accomplish my epic to-do lists. But it wasn’t until I turned 30, and had our first daughter, that I really began to flourish as a multi-tasker extraordinaire. How else are you supposed to survive to those first few months, let alone the years to follow!

I knew how to fold a load of washing while stirring dinner on the stove while talking on the phone while entertaining my 6 month old. And it felt GOOD! Except the good feelings never lasted. They soon made way for an exhaustion that was all consuming. It turns out our bodies and brains aren’t really wired for that many things all at once.

The science & history of multi-tasking

In fact, operating in this manner actually uses up the oxygenated glucose in the brain, the fuel we need for concentrating on a task. So then we find ourselves turning to food and coffee to make up for what we’ve used with our multi-tasking.

The term multitasking first appeared in 1965 and was used to describe IBM’s technology, and computers ability to multitask. Links to human behavior were made, and viola! The term became synonymous with the fast pace of life that many people live.

And the myth, that multi-tasking allowed someone to do more, was born. 

Nowadays, multitasking is more likely to be recognized for what it is – one of the biggest productivity killers. Studies have shown that it takes an average of 23 minutes to get back on focus on a task after switching to something else. This is particularly evident when we are multi-tasking with something cognitively demanding. Who has an extra 23 minutes (times that by how many times you switch) to spare everyday!

What multi-tasking really is

The terminology has also changed. It turns out that most of the time what we are actually doing when we ‘multitask’, is task switching. Think of my example above. Yes, I could talk on the phone and stir the food in the pot, but I couldn’t ALSO be folding the washing. That would literally require another set of arms. So what I described is instead, task switching. I’d stir the pot, fold a couple of items, stir the pot, talk to the baby, fold some more. 

The biggest problem I eventually had (and still do) with multitasking was what it did to my mental health. My anxiety levels sky rocketed when I was constantly multitasking or task switching. My brain literally could not keep up with the to-do list. I ended days like this feeling fraught, on edge, and unsatisfied. 

Enter single-tasking. And I’ll warn you now. It’s a hard act to follow. But I think if you give it a try you’ll find its a game-changer.

You might be asking how the heck do you single task? After all, for lots of us it doesn’t come automatically anymore. There are lots of tips for something that seems…. well, self-explanatory. And if you have the well-worn habit of task switching, then you might find you need lots of practice to try and swap this out for single-tasking.

How to start practicing single-tasking

Single tasking is an art. Here are some ideas to get you started;

  1. Focus on one thing… Try and notice the task you are currently doing AND fully engage with it. For example, if it’s folding the washing, focus on JUST that. Focus on that one thing and do it well. You might want to check out this book for more about focusing on one thing. 
  2. Reduce distractions…. When you are on your phone, laptop or whatever device of your choice, keep one tab open at a time! I know this one’s pretty shocking, and sometimes if you are working you need more than one… but how often do you really need Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram open at the same time? I’ve just installed a chrome app called waste no time, which blocks Facebook for me after a certain period of time.
  3. If you make ‘to do’ lists like me, try completing each task fully, before moving on to the next one! Lots of days I get to the end of my day not being able to cross anything off, each task is half done. I’ve either been interrupted and then decided to move on to the next thing, or found the chosen task too difficult and procrastinated by moving down the list. How ridiculously unsatisfying.

Here’s the kicker. If you have kids, single tasking might be near-on impossible. These tiny little humans are experts at interrupting us and basically demanding we task switch to whatever the heck they want us to do!  So you simply won’t get to do it every time. But practice makes perfect and one day you’ll find yourself in a season where mindful single tasking can happen more often.

Charles Dickens had some great insight on this. Maybe this is how he got some of his great works, like Oliver Twist completed.

He did each single thing as if he did nothing else.

Enjoy your week, and remember to give single tasking a go today!

P.S. If you are enjoying my posts, you are welcome to sign up for my monday(ish) weekly letter. 

3 Comments

  1. Stephanie Grant July 4, 2017 at 8:34 am

    Love it! Wise words – multi – tasking is highly overrated,as I found out at the cost of my health a decade ago. I shall endeavor to single task, but before that I have to go back to the kitchen to see to the couple of things I’ve got going on there!

    1. emmy.l.scheib@gmail.com July 9, 2017 at 7:49 am

      Haha it’s so hard to maintain ain’t it!

  2. Sophie Hall July 9, 2017 at 11:27 am

    Love this!! I find single tasking sooo much more satisfying than the task switching. As soon as I complete one thing and tick it off I actually become pumped to get the next one done and ticked off too 🙂 def worth trying and practising it!