March 06, 2025

Multitasking May Not Be What You Think It Is—and Why That Matters

It may seem like multitasking is a key skill for maximizing productivity, responding to expectations, and managing tasks. Certainly, we can feel more productive when working on more than one thing. However, what we feel and what we accomplish may not be the same in measure. Despite the temptation to engage in multiple tasks simultaneously, research studies and careful reflection suggest that we need to be cautious about doing so.

Why might multitasking not be a good idea? Our brains are not capable of doing multiple things at once. In fact, the term multitasking was coined by IBM in the 1960s to describe the way in which early computers were capable of operating. The concept quickly became popular because people thought that it was a good way to describe high levels of human output. The assumption was that multitasking—working on multiple tasks at once—must lead to greater productivity. However, studies as early as 2001 showed that multitasking is not an efficient way to get more done. In fact, multitasking requires our brain to constantly switch between tasks, but because the human brain is not wired to do this, what happens instead is that our attention moves quickly back and forth between tasks, ultimately creating inefficiency. As we multitask, our brain slows down and often loses track of important information—and neither task receives our full attention. Consequently, mistakes are more common, and quality suffers.

So, how costly is task switching? A study by the American Psychological Association shows that even brief switches between tasks can reduce our productivity by as much as 40%. Tasks that require attention and cognitive control are more vulnerable to mistakes. Thinking tends to be more superficial, and important details can be overlooked. Meanwhile both working memory—holding current information—and long-term memory—managing recall—suffer by misunderstanding or misreading situations and failing to store crucial information.

What does multitasking look like in daily life? In this day and age, multitasking has many faces. It is checking our phone, computer, or other technology for messages during meetings. It is working on a lesson plan while listening to a colleague discuss a problem they face. It is answering a student’s question while assembling materials for an upcoming lesson. It is monitoring social media or scrolling through the latest news while on a Zoom call. The list could go on.

Are there some good applications of multitasking? There are at least some circumstances under which multitasking can, at least, not be harmful. Tasks that require little cognitive effort such as listening to music while doing routine chores or exercising can be more pleasurable without compromising mental processing. Multitasking can be helpful when tasks are complementary such as listening to a presentation while taking notes or reading directions while completing a related task. In some cases, multitasking can be helpful in creative work such as making a sketch or diagram while brainstorming the best solution to a problem or making notes while consulting research conclusions.

When should we absolutely avoid multitasking? Here are four types of situations when we should focus solely on the task at hand:

Activities that are complex or cognitively challenging—including any tasks that require deep thinking or clear judgment such as analyzing data, making student placement decisions, and budgeting.

Tasks that require precision and detail—such as determining grades, documenting a student’s behavior incidents, and driving in heavy traffic.

Situations that involve strong emotions—such as resolving conflicts, offering relationship advice, and apologizing for a significant mistake.

Challenges that require creativity—such as solving complex problems, developing important plans, and brainstorming new processes and strategies.

The bottom line: Multitasking is not necessarily good or bad. What matters is the context within which multitasking is practiced, the task to be performed, and the experience and expertise we can bring to the situation. The best advice is that if there is a question about whether to engage in multitasking—don’t.

References:

American Psychological Association. (2006, March 20). Multitasking: Switching costs. https://www.apa.org/topics/research/multitasking

Brown, H. (2021, May 5). The myth of multitasking. Fast Company. https://www.fastcompany.com/90630548/the-myth-of-multitasking