Multitasking – Productivity Killer or a Gateway Drug?

//Disclaimer: All opinions are my own//

When I set out to write about multitasking, I believed it was something long gone from the job specs. Yet the 2022 article on Indeed proved me wrong: it gives advise on how to prepare for questions around this skill. I was astonished: recent research in neuroscience, psychology, MRI imaging have shown that a quick switch between contexts not only affects productivity but can lead to long-term damage to the brain function. Some authors have compared the effects of multitasking to insomnia or sleep deprivation, in the extent to which it hinders the speed and accuracy of mental processes. Then why are we still doing it? What are the misconceptions about multitasking? And when does it really make sense?

A bit of history first: the term “multitasking” comes from the world of computing and was popularized by a 1965 IBM advert. The term soom migrated from the language of data processing into corporate talk. There was something extremely appealing about the idea of optimizing one’s time, of doing more with less. An additional gendered layer was added to the problem soon: observing women looking after children and household created an myth that they are better at multitasking than men (the truth is, they are not, they just have to do more things generally). It often meant that women in workforce were often given administrative tasks like note taking or birthday party organisation in addition to their immediate job responsibilities.

But the research has shown that a human brain is not able to multi-task in the same way a multi-core processor does: we need to switch from one task to another, with a refractory time between them. The shorter the amount of time between the start of the first and second tasks, the longer the refractory period lasts and the more delay there will be in processing the second task. What it means is, the quicker we try to switch, the more time our brain will need to rest and reset. The time that we “lose” between the tasks, also known as switching cost has been estimated to take up to 40% of a person’s time. This sounds extremely inefficient already! Besides, several studies have shown that dual-task cost (so the toll of doing two things at the same time) was similar to sleep deprivation. It leaves us more stressed and more exhausted at the end of a workday, while it doesn’t result in better productivity. Quite the opposite: people doing two cognitive tasks at the same time have much higher risk of error. Some other downsides of multitasking include decision fatigue, inability to get into the flow, and poor information retention.

A classic example of bad multitasking is doing it whilst driving. We all know that we shouldn’t be on the phone while on the road. But you will be amazed at how many people get into traffic accidents because of eating! The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the USA has even issued a list of the deadliest foods you can bring into your car: hot coffee, soups, tacos, hamburgers, fried chicken, jelly donuts, and chocolate are all on the list. The problem, of course, is not what you eat, but the distraction it can create: e.g. spilling your coffee will make you look down at your shirt and stop paying attention to the traffic ahead. If the drink is scolding hot, you may get burned – also not conducive to patient and careful road behaviour.

And while we’re on it, we have to talk about tech-multitasking. You know, the usual ritual when you sit down to watch a TV show or a film, but your phone lights up because someone liked your comment or sent you a message. So you end up switching between two screens catching up with your friends whilst following the adventures of the show protagonist. Unfortunately, the research has shown that so-called heavy media multitaskers (HMMs), people who tend to use several media at the same time, scored worse on the working memory and long-term memory tasks. Surprisingly, they would perform worse than low media multitaskers even when they did one task at a time. There is a suggesting that HMMs have greater self-reported impulsivity and less self-control; the same study suggested that they may be more prone to short-term gratification, and can potentially be linked to binge eating, addictions, or poor financial management.

Successful switch between tasks has two steps: goal shifting and rule activation (first is setting up the new task, the second means retrieving rules for the new task). They require executive function, impulse control, and attention, which often makes multitasking particularly unhealthy for people with ADHD. The lack of focus and structure can mean that their brain is occupied by multiple things at once, all rules and knowledge active, to the point that they may suffer a cognitive overload. Interestingly, a 2011 study has shown that adults with ADHD could multitask as good as neurotypical adults; but their mood and motivation were better when they didn’t have to.

There was a small study published Jason M. Watson and David L. Strayer who tested 200 hundred people, and identified 5 (so 2,5% of their sample) who could dual-task without any difficulty. This study was the basis for suggesting that there are so-called supertaskers. A further study used neuroimaging to show that the brains of extremely successful multitaskers work differently, somewhat more efficiently than in average population. However, very little research has been done so far, and the small number of supertaskers doesn't represent how most of us process information.

So what makes us, humans, multitask even if we know it’s more exhausting, not healthy, and can put our lives at risk? The common theory is that multitasking increases the levels of stress hormones; accomplishing small tasks gives us a dopamine boost and a pleasant distraction. It creates a dopamine loop that makes you addicted to the little actions like opening emails or checking notifications. The more distractions you have, the better you feel, while abstaining from checking your social media increases anxiety and restlessness. In her podcast Gina Ryan has compared the response to withdrawal from tech multitasking to what people with addiction disorders experience. Perhaps, the comparison between multi-tasking and drugs is only a little exaggerated.

So what’s the solution? It is, unsurprisingly, monotasking: saying “no” to distractions, and dedicating a specific period of time to focused work. You can try out various productivity techniques: from the Pomodoro method to my personal favourite GTD (which requires you to write down tasks, and then break them down into individual and less intimidating steps), from biological prime time to blocking off focus time on your calendar. Mindfulness and meditation can help you learn to focus on one thought, or at least shut off the noise in your brain.

One final thought here: multitasking usually refers to executing two mentally engaging tasks. It’s not the same as jogging while listening to an audiobook or playing music while doing chores. But last night I was listening to a podcast on multitasking while making my tea and ended up dropping a kettle full of water on the floor, because I missed its base.

I guess I’m not a supertasker??