Our increasingly technology-obsessed culture may have us feeling pulled in a million directions, but humans weren’t built to multitask. Instead, find out how monotasking can improve your productivity, mindfulness, and even relationships.
Multitasking is often talked about with reverence, and that’s no surprise. In a world where productivity is a virtue, it makes sense to want to get more done in less time. And what better way to get things done than to do it all at once?
But if you’ve struggled with multitasking, that’s probably because you weren’t meant to succeed at it — according to science. Here’s why it’s making things harder for you, and what to do instead, explain the experts.
Why Multitasking Is a Disaster for Your Brain
Despite what you may believe, multitasking is not the best way to get things done. A summary of over a decade’s worth of research on multitasking found that heavy media multitaskers, or people who consume a bunch of media streams at once, had significantly worse memory and a hard time sustaining their attention. Media multitaskers also report difficulties in paying attention and mind-wandering. What’s more, multiple studies show that heavy media multitaskers also perform worse than light media multitaskers (the kind of person who occasionally checks Instagram while working on a report, for example) and people who tend to focus on one task at a time.
This is all to say that much of the science on multitasking suggests that it’s outright bad for performance and productivity, and that too much multitasking may signify that you’re simply being distracted.
Interested in learning more? Check out Preventing Procrastination
The Myth of Multitasking
We talk about multitasking as if it’s a natural state, but in fact, actual multitasking is kind of impossible. When we try to do two things at once, our brains assign a hemisphere to each task, according to one large-scale study, and performance begins to significantly deteriorate as we take on more.
So, what are we doing when we think we’re multitasking? Our brains are actually rapidly switching between tasks. This may sound innocuous, but switching from one task to another takes you out of your flow state. Subjects in a survey from Qatalog and Cornell University’s Ellis Ideas Lab reported it took them an average of nine minutes and 30 seconds to refocus on a task once they’d been distracted, costing them around 36 minutes a day.
According to Nir Eyal, author of Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life, the brain can’t process information coming from two of the same types of channels at the same time. What does this mean? “You cannot watch two television shows at the same time, you can’t read two books at the same time, it’s impossible,” he explains. If you try, you’ll be task switching.
What you can do is combine tasks from two different channels, an activity Eyal has coined “multichannel multitasking.” You can think of these channels as relating to your senses: audio, physical or spatial, visual, and so on. “For example, you can listen to a podcast while you’re at the gym. You can go on a walk with a colleague and have a business meeting while you’re getting exercise,” he says.
Monotasking vs. Multitasking
Monotasking is basically the opposite of multitasking: Instead of trying to do multiple things at once, it’s the intentional act of focusing on one task at a time.
Monotasking can improve productivity, but its benefits are not limited to your work. Bestselling author, transformational speaker, and nationally recognized productivity expert Tanya Dalton tells DailyOM that monotasking while with your partner, or anyone else you care about, can be a great solution. “By focusing on one thing — for example, having dinner with your partner — you are able to create deeper, more authentic relationships with the people around you,” she says.
It’s not about managing your time, it’s about savoring the moment. Monotasking allows you to do that.
One example of how multitasking negatively impacts your relationships: Research shows that “phubbing,” or phone snubbing — ignoring someone in order to check your device — is associated with greater instances of conflict and leads to lower levels of relationship satisfaction, intimacy, and closeness.
Is Monotasking Possible?
Multitasking isn’t really a thing, but our brains also aren’t built to be focused all the time, right? This leads us to the question: Is monotasking possible? Yes, but for how long isn’t a single, fixed number. Though people are quick to claim that our attention spans are 10 minutes, 20 minutes, even eight seconds, one review on attention spans found that the answer is really: It depends.
The study authors examined university students’ attention spans and found that their ability to focus on a lecture was mainly related to how interesting the professor made the session. This is because our attention is guided by two factors: arousal and motivation. In other words, if we find the task at hand intriguing, and we have a good reason for doing it, we’re more likely to stay engaged.
How to Monotask Productively
If you’re used to task switching, monotasking may come as a challenge. Below are some tips you can use to maximize your chances of success.
1. Develop Your Monotasking Muscle
Think of monotasking as a muscle that needs exercising. Thatcher Wine, CEO and founder of Juniper Books and author of The Twelve Monotasks: Do One Thing at a Time to Do Everything Better, says that the more we spread our attention across multiple tasks and devices, the more our monotasking muscle atrophies.
The first step to strengthening this monotasking muscle is to be aware of when we’re actually using it. Ask yourself: Am I giving this task or person my full attention or only some of my attention? Then, practice being present by doing things that absorb your focus, like a physical activity you love or reading a page-turner.
“Doing something that gives you joy, such as playing a sport or seeing a concert, is a great way to let everything go,” Wine tells DailyOM. “Don't think about work or what you're going to do later, just be in the moment. Doing all of these activities is great in itself, but the amazing thing that you will discover is that they help you cross-train for doing everything in life with renewed focus and enjoyment.”
2. Put Your Phone in Time-Out
To review: We’re more likely to maintain focus if we’re both interested in and motivated to do the task at hand. One key way to make sure that we’re interested in what we’re doing is to eliminate all of the more interesting things in the room. Yes, think about this as the attention Hunger Games and your current task needs to be the winner.
We’re not talking about stripping the walls of your art and throwing your plants out the window. It’s more like (and this is going to hurt) putting away your phone to reduce mental clutter.
“I suggest going into ‘notification celibacy’ during monotasking sessions,” Staffan Noteberg, Agile coach and author of Monotasking: How to Focus Your Mind, Be More Productive, and Improve Your Brain Health, tells DailyOM. “Turn off every noncritical notification for half an hour. Move your smartphone a few meters away from your desk. Don’t let your email client flash every time you receive a message.”
You might even want to take it a step further and completely remove your phone from view. One study found that the mere presence of your phone reduces your cognitive capacity. The researchers write that having your phone nearby or in view causes “brain drain” because you have to spend so much of your brain’s resources resisting the urge to pick it up.
We know, breakups are hard. But they have to be done. Dalton suggests easing into your cell phone separation.
“I found the easiest way to get started was by going for a walk outside and intentionally leaving my phone at home. It was amazing how much more in tune I felt with the world around me, I could actually take in the clouds, catch a quick conversation with a neighbor, and even focus on my breathing,” she says. “After a while, I stepped up my monotasking by slowing down my meals and making sure that I was really enjoying my food. I started to make sure to shut my laptop and turned off notifications on my phone any time I was eating. Not only did the food start tasting better because I was actually taking the time to take in the flavors, but the dinner conversation was better, too.”
3. Be Mindful of Interactions With Co-Workers
Collaboration with our co-workers is an essential (and sometimes the best) part of work. But when we’re not paying attention, a 30-second check-in on a project can easily turn into a 15-minute gossip sesh. Managing these interactions can be super useful for making sure you’re able to monotask effectively.
“Many modern work environments demand frequent collaboration with colleagues, and we should, of course, stick to that. However, we may do that in a smarter way that will decrease the number of distractions,” Noteberg says. “For example, sharing our progress, planning, and priorities upfront makes it less urgent for others to keep asking when we will be done.”
4. Create a Realistic To-Do List Every Day
Research shows that writing a to-do list can help to reduce intrusive thoughts (interruptions) and free up working memory. But when it comes to monotasking, the kind of to-do list you write matters. In other words, you need to be honest and realistic about what you can accomplish in a given day. This sounds like vague advice, but hear us out.
There are some things that are easily one-and-done, like scheduling a dentist’s appointment. But what about our bigger, more indefinite goals, like improving our fitness or writing a book?
Try breaking these things down into tasks that can be accomplished that day. In the case of boosting your fitness, for example, it might be going to the gym for 30 minutes or finding time for a mini-workout at home, or in the case of writing a book, jotting down 500 words. This will make it easier for you to set aside time to focus just on that task.
Noteberg suggests creating “a shortlist every morning and then working in short time boxes where only one single task gets our attention.”
If you have a hard time reframing the big picture to-dos that take large amounts of time or rely on others, try bullet journaling — a type of journaling that breaks down your priorities by the day, month, and even year. For example, if you’re waiting on your friend to send you details for a trip you’re planning together, you might catalog this in the monthly log, rather than your daily log. This way, you’ve noted the to-do, gotten it out of your brain, and freed up thought space to focus on other things.
5. Bump a To-Do off the List
Don’t be afraid to ax a task. If you’re unable to get something done when you were originally planning to do it, cross it off your list and move it to a day when you will have the time and resources to get it done. Or, if you’re bullet journaling, you might move it to the monthly log.
If you’re at work and unable to get something to your manager by the deadline, tell them. Immediately.
“Monotasking will be harmed when we switch frequently between prioritizing (what should I do) and focus (doing),” Noteberg says. “And jumping on and off may create many fragments of progress here and there, but no viable value.”
This is because unfinished tasks are distracting. According to a theory called the Zeigarnik effect, our brains tend to ruminate on unfinished business, taking up valuable space in our working memory that could be put to good use monotasking.
6. Create a Compassionate Space
Imagine trying to read a book in a sterile room with concrete floors and no windows — probably not great for concentration. Now imagine reading the same book in the corner of a cozy cafe, surrounded by pillows and natural elements like plants and a wood table.
Our spaces matter. Research shows that the architecture of a space can influence how relaxed we are, our productivity, our creativity, and even our desire to socialize. In other words, you can create a space that optimizes your ability to monotask. Elements like a view of nature; rounded, soft furniture; natural light; and high ceilings have all been proven to have benefits.
For a more in-depth guide, look to feng shui, which is all about eliminating obstacles to your mental, physical, and spiritual well-being, and including elements that support those things.
7. Set a Monotasking Timer and Take Breaks
As productive as it may be to maintain focus, even monotasking has its limits. So, in order to stay productive and avoid feeling overwhelmed by a task, set a time limit for yourself.
Attention spans are different for everyone and are dependent on the task at hand, as mentioned above, but one method you can start with is the Pomodoro Technique, invented by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s. Students with learning disabilities and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder reported that using this time-management technique helped them stay motivated and focused.
Set a timer for 25 minutes, during which you’ll work, and then take a five-minute break. These short breaks are meant to assimilate whatever it is you were just working on and to do something good for your health, like taking deep breaths, going for a walk around the office, joking with your coworker, or daydreaming.
What you shouldn’t do during these breaks, according to the technique, is anything that’s mentally demanding, like discussing a project with your coworker or writing an email. Research shows that your brain operates best when it goes back and forth between focus and unfocus. When your brain is in its unfocused state, it’s using a circuit called the default mode network — you might recognize it as those times when you’re zoning out while doing the dishes or staring out the window. During that time, you’re able to come up with creative ideas, self-reflect, and reenergize your brain.
After doing four intervals of the Pomodoro Technique, take a longer 15- to 30-minute break (because you deserve it!).
Monotasking Is a Practice in Mindfulness
A theme through all of these suggestions — making to-do lists, putting your phone away, creating a productive space — is preparation. Planning to monotask means creating time for yourself to be mindful and get things done in a calm, concentrated way. What we’re trying to say is it’s a form of self-care.
“Whether it’s slowing down to savor and enjoy your morning cup of coffee or lingering while taking your walk to listen to the sounds around you, mundane regular tasks seem to stretch into beautiful moments,” Dalton says. “I often say that it’s not about managing our time, it’s about savoring the moment. Monotasking allows you to do that.”
