While for many years multitasking was considered a great, highly desirable skill and was widely encouraged at a professional level, studies now show that the brain is not designed to do many things at the same time.
According to research, multitasking, or the simultaneous performance of multiple activities, increases stress and cortisol secretion.1 This may lead to one being overwhelmed and burned out. Answering the phone while reading an email, drinking your coffee or eating, while at the same time thinking about the tasks of the day (ring a bell?) might well be a regular Tuesday morning for most, but it’s a habit makes that makes you more tired and anxious.
Multitasking is a habit and takes some time to change
According to Earl Miller, a neuroscientist at MIT, “When we toggle between tasks, the process often feels seamless, but in reality, it requires a series of small shifts.”2 When we constantly switch between tasks, for example by talking over the phone and at the same time reading or replying to an email, then the brain needs more energy to perform these tasks, and there are small time-gaps until the brain is concentrated again on the one or the other activity. This habitual pattern can lead to mistakes, accidents, misinterpretations, reduced creativity, and hasty decisions and can often result in losing, rather than saving, time.3 Women, in particular, seem to multitask more often than men, and this may be due to the different ways the brain processes the messages. Simultaneous execution of activities, however, increases stress, anxiety, and decision fatigue.
Mindfulness is the act of paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.4 This enables in people the capacity to connect to the present moment. It can help reduce stress and anxiety and empowers people to change the habitual pattern of multitasking to singletasking.
The first practice of mindfulness is mindful attention,5 which is the basic approach for focusing on the now. According to studies and the international literature, mindfulness meditation and attention are considered a “workout for the brain”.6 Just like you can strengthen your body’s muscular system by going to the gym and gradually increasing the weight, frequency and number of repetitions in your routine, you can train your mind by focusing your attention on your breath or on an activity you’re engaging in (e.g. reading, eating, listening, talking to someone) in the present moment. With mindful attention, you bring your mind back to the present and focus your attention on what you are experiencing, with purpose and acceptance and without judgment. This way you can focus on every activity and experience without depleting your brain energy.
It seems simple, but in reality it is much more difficult, because according to research the mind wanders — almost 50% of waking hours.7 According to Matthew A. Killingsworth and Daniel T. Gilbert of Harvard University, “A human mind is a wandering mind, and a wandering mind is an unhappy mind. The ability to think about what is not happening is a cognitive achievement that comes at an emotional cost.”7
Multitasking is a habit and takes some time to change. But by practicing mindful attention and meditation, the body’s neurohormonal system becomes balanced, and as stress hormones are reduced, so are one’s anxiety levels. As a result, you feel less stressed, you can manage difficulties, conflicts, and challenges more effectively and with resilience, while also enjoying increased levels of energy and joy.8 Eventually, your focus on the present moment will flow naturally most of the time because you have developed a new habit pattern that you enjoy more.
Mindfulness has improved work satisfaction and engagement for hundreds of thousands of people and employees around the globe. This is why 92% of U.S. companies apply wellness and/or mindfulness programs, helping to prevent burnout, reduce work stress and increase focus, creativity, cooperation, and productivity at work.
Relax your busy mind and feel more satisfied and productive by avoiding multitasking and focusing on single tasking: one activity at a time.
Practice with the following mindfulness exercises
- During the day, take note of how you feel when you do a lot of activities together and how much it affects your work and your mood at that moment.
- Once you realize your habitual pattern, stop, take a couple of full breaths and gently remind yourself that you want to act differently this time.
- Decide beforehand that you will focus on finishing the task you are involved in:
- Focus on the activity at hand, avoiding distractions (e.g. messaging, mindless scrolling)
- Try to complete it mindfully before you start the next one.
- Every time you finish an activity, take a few full breaths and appreciate and reward yourself for respecting and protecting your brain energy and vitality.
- Recognize and acknowledge your efforts for resisting the urge to multitask.
- Don’t be hard on yourself if you forget to be mindful — remember that multitasking is an established pattern.
- When you have to do multiple things together, try to combine them wisely, by selecting a very easy activity to combine with.9
- Enjoy your morning coffee or tea mindfully, without checking email or thinking about the tasks of the day.
- Focus on the aromas and flavor of your drink and pay attention to the experience with curiosity.
- Mindful eating and drinking is one of the best practices of mindfulness.10
Find more information and articles on mindfulness at work www.holmind.me
1 Eisler, M. (2016) The Type A’s Guide to Mindfulness: Meditation for Busy Minds and Busy People. CreateSpace.
2 Miller, E. (2016, December) Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Multitask, According to an MIT Neuroscientist. Fortune. https://fortune.com/2016/12/07/why-you-shouldnt-multitask/
3 Oshin, M. (2018, October) 9 Ways Multitasking is Killing Your Brain and Productivity, According to Neuroscientists. Thrive Global. https://thriveglobal.com/stories/9-ways-multitasking-is-killing-your-brain-and-productivity-according-to-neuroscientists/
4 Kabat-Zinn, J. (2016) Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present Moment – and Your Life. Sounds True.
5 Smood, Amit. (2017) The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living. Da Capo Press.
6 Handon, R. (2018) Resilient: Find Your Inner Strength. Rider.
7 Bradt, S. (2010, November) Wandering Mind not a Happy Mind. The Harvard Gazette. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2010/11/wandering-mind-not-a-happy-mind/
8 Seppala, E. (2017) The Happiness Track: How to Apply the Science of Happiness to Accelerate Your Success. Harper Collins Publishers.
9 Black, A. (2014) Mindfulness @ Work. CICO Books.
10 Burdick, D. (2014) Mindfulness Skills for Kids and Teens. PESI Publishing and Media.
