Ever tried writing a paper while watching a movie, only to realize you’re failing at both? You’re not alone. Despite what hustle culture might suggest, struggling with multitasking is completely normal — and actually backed by science.
Experts say humans don’t really multitask at all. What we do is task-switch — quickly shifting attention from one thing to another. But our brains aren’t wired to process multiple demanding tasks at once. A 2009 Stanford study showed that even when we think we’re multitasking — like listening to two conversations — we’re really just focusing on one and doing minimal processing of the other.
The term “multitasking” itself comes from computer science, not psychology. It was originally used in the 1960s to describe how computers use a single processor to handle multiple jobs — something very different from how our brains work.
Some people seem better at multitasking, but that often comes down to how quickly they can switch attention, and how simple the tasks are. Routine actions like walking or eating take less brain power, so pairing them with light tasks feels easier. But when both activities require mental effort, things start to fall apart.
Contrary to popular belief, research has shown that men and women are equally poor at multitasking. However, age can make a difference — older adults tend to have a harder time switching between tasks and recovering from interruptions.
Multitasking also comes at a cognitive cost. It can reduce our focus, memory, reasoning ability, and overall productivity — by up to 40%, according to some studies. Worse still, constantly switching tasks may train our brains to lose focus and seek distractions.
So if you’ve ever felt like you’re falling short because you can’t juggle multiple tasks, you’re not broken — you’re human. And focusing on one thing at a time might just be the smarter way to work.
Source: The Swaddle
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