The Myth of Multitasking: How Multitasking is Harming You

& Why you need to stop immediately

How often do you multitask? You play your music while you’re working. In between songs, you clean your desk or check your phone.

But multitasking doesn’t actually exist.

What happens is your brain spends milliseconds changing from one task to another. It may not sound harmful, but it’s the difference between getting into a car wreck and not.

Your brain can’t handle multitasking. You wonder why you can’t focus? It’s because you’re trying to do too much.

Too Many Tabs

How many computer tabs are open on your computer?

Multitasking is a lot like having too many tabs open in your brain. You keep switching back and forth between tabs, but every time you switch, your brain has to stop what it’s doing and refocus.

You never get “enough” done because your focus is spread too thin.

Fact of the matter is that multitasking reduces brain efficiency and performance.

Trying to multitask is only harming your brain. When you multitask, it:

Causes memory problems
Stunts creativity
Slows your brain down

None of these things are good. To keep your brain healthy, you need to take care of it.

Not Present

Multitasking affects your ability to be present. While you’re sending one quick text, it’s taking away your focus from your current situation.

When I was younger, I had a friend who would text the entire time we were together. It drove me nuts. I wanted to spend time with her, but she was too attached to her phone.

You can increase your pleasure and focus by focusing on one thing at a time.

Getting there is a learning curve, but it’s worth it.

You’re more in tune with your surroundings. Instead of being distracted by shiny new object syndrome, your focus increases. You pay more attention to your senses.

Fix Your Focus

Your focus and attention span are important. If you want to increase your focus, you have to retrain it. Here are some ways to rebuild your focus muscle.

1. The Pomodoro Method

Your brain can’t handle prolonged effort. The Pomodoro technique offers the perfect solution. Pick one task to focus on. Set a timer for 25 minutes, and only work on that task during that time.

After the twenty-five minutes, you get a 5-minute break to do whatever.

2. No notifications

Every few seconds, your phone goes off with another notification. Oh, someone texted you. Your friend posted a new TikTok. Hey, there’s a funny tweet.

You don’t need notifications blowing up your phone. All it does is distract you. Turn your notifications off, and you’ll get more done.

Set aside time during your day to respond to texts and browse social media. I promise it’s not the end of the world. Trust that if it’s an emergency, it’ll reach you.

Otherwise, notifications are pointless. All they’ll do is give you anxiety.

3. Keep a notebook nearby

I get it. You have a lot of random thoughts pop up during the day, and you don’t want to forget them.

Keep a small notebook or a note on your phone where you can brain-dump anything you want to remember.

It’ll free up the space in your mind because you won’t be stressed about remembering it. At the end of the day, go through your notes.

Keeping a notebook will help you stay organized and declutter your mind.

4. Set weekly milestones

When you set milestones, it gives you something to work toward. You can break down your goals into tangible steps and accomplish them throughout the week.

Having a goal will make you focus on your tasks so you can accomplish your goals faster.

5. Find your time

Everybody works differently. You’re going to work better at some times than others. Optimize your work by finding when you work best.

Figure out when you have the most mental energy and do your hard work then. Save less important tasks when you don’t have as much mental energy.

Final Thoughts

Multitasking is a harmful myth that causes you and your brain strain. The milliseconds it takes your brain to switch tasks add up. It costs your focus, time, and possibly even your life.

None of these are worth risking.

You can combat multitasking by:

Using the Pomodoro technique
Turning your phone notifications off
Keeping a notebook nearby
Setting weekly milestones
Finding the time that works best for you

Good luck and carry on.

Ready to level yourself up and become the best version of yourself? Download my free journaling guide now.

Maggie Kelly is a freelance writer who writes about mental health, self-help, and psychology. Contact at maggiepkelly@gmail.com