# This is why we don’t multitask


**Published by:** [pupa-and-lupa.eth](https://paragraph.com/@pupa-and-lupa/)
**Published on:** 2022-08-30
**URL:** https://paragraph.com/@pupa-and-lupa/this-is-why-we-don-t-multitask

## Content

Your phone just rang. Oh look, surprise surprise another notification from Instagram. Uuu someone on TikTok just liked your video. How about some emails from that online store you visited a year ago? Sounds familiar? No one cares if you’re busy working or studying, or you’ve just found a good book and you need some peace and quiet. Distractions will knock at your door 24/7. Have you finally found some motivation to close the curtains and start your 6 hour pomodoro session? Here are some well deserved ads about that new restaurant in town. Bon Appetite! https://unsplash.com/photos/cqFKhqv6Ong We struggle every day to adapt to a multitasking lifestyle, to do what everyone else does, to keep up the high pace and pretend everything is perfect. Also we want to believe that it’s ok to have 10 tasks at hand and 15 more in the back of our mind. Yeah, we can do it, we are sooo capable. All we need is less sleep, more hours in a day, more caffeine and someone else to do all this sh!t for us. The truth is, multitasking doesn’t even exist and it’s pretty much a toxic behaviour. I’ve read a really interesting fact in a neuro-science book called “How the Brain works” — once you switch focus from the task at hand, it takes up to 25 minutes to get back on track. Also, long-term memory and creativity are quietly suffering. your brain on multitasking Efficiency can drop by almost 40%, and that’s a lot. Imagine having to play basketball with one eye closed. That’s what you’re doing to your brain when you’re trying to do 3 things at once. Moreover, HBR (Harvard Business Review) writes that multitaskers actually do less things. Ironic, isn’t it? What we are doing is not actually multitasking, it’s basically taking multiple steps, in different directions — at the same time. Our brain decides which information to process depending on the amount of interest that it arises. If you are playing video-games while talking on the phone with your clients, you might actually hear less from what they’re saying. This happens because your visual cortex is more active and demanding, and receives more information than your auditory cortex. https://unsplash.com/photos/By-tZImt0Ms In the book I talked about earlier (“How the brain works”), there’s also a pretty simple solution to our problem. In order to improve attention span, we need to take two actions: a) focus on something specific, while b) tune out both external and internal distractions. For example, while reading this you might be bombarded with social media notifications, the door might ring or you might be hungry, and start thinking about your future dinner. What you’ll read next won’t be as important as meal planning or counting likes on your photos, right? It’s true, eating and satisfying our social needs are more important and vital than reading some random information on the internet. It’s so easy to fall for social media notifications that will definitely ruin your no-distractions policy, no matter how hard your try to resist it. Let’s pause and find out why we’re like this: our brain is wired to respond to messages, whether they are verbal or non-verbal. We value social recognition and we deeply require it. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be socially accepted. Almost all the activities — working, playing, eating, studying, sports, even sleeping — are done in groups. We are the sum of the people we surround ourselves with. Therefore, every interaction with our peers is considered an important one. That’s why every time that phone rings and beeps, our brain is prepared to collect critical information regarding the group we’re a part of, and to update our state of being. And that’s why it will distract you every damn time. Stop fooling yourself into believing that your brain can open up 100 new tabs at once, and still give 100%. It can’t do its best while being surrounded internally and externally by distractions. Take one thing at a time, be patient, and results will come sooner than you think. https://unsplash.com/photos/TK_WT3dl2tw Yeah, complex stuff. Multitasking doesn't sound that good anymore, huh? Lots of people are dealing with this problem, that is why I found lots of tips on this subject. Here are some of them that I’ve tested and found helpful:Block distractions: turn off your phone, or at least put it on silent/ do not disturb mode. If this doesn’t work for you, put your phone away. Once you are done setting up your working space and get into the zone, standing up and going on a treasure hunt for a tiny beeping thingy won’t be so fun anymore.Put your priorities and mind in order: talk openly with your family and friends when you need some time alone. You are not rejecting them, you are creating the best version of yourself, so that when you are with them, you are in the best form possible. Also, make sure to apply the same behaviour when you’re spending time with them. The best gift, that you can offer to yourself and your loved ones, is living in the moment, no matter if it’s work, a social event or relaxation.Before you start a demanding and time consuming task, plan your breaks beforehand, and stick to the plan. For example: start with 20 minutes of focus time, followed by a 5 minutes break. Do this for a couple of times, then increase your working period from 20 minutes to 30. Do this as many times as you want, as long as it keeps you focused. This is called the pomodoro technique, if you need some help with it, there are lots of videos on Youtube and apps that keep track of your progress.Remind yourself why you are doing this. Write your motivation down on a sticky note and stick it somewhere visible. Every time you will want to do something else to distract yourself, take a good look at your note.Create a proper mood for your activity. Devote some time to tidying up your desk, filling up that bottle of water that you always forget about, making a good coffee or preparing your workout shoes. What I find to be very useful, before I start my long and hard (that’s what she said) studying session, is playing some rain sounds from my Mac app ( link here -> “Flow-Sounds for Productivity”). Also, I like a cosy and friendly environment so I tried aromatherapy. For some reason, lemongrass and oranges really keep me aware and awake.Set some healthy habits that you will be able to stick to on the long run. Nothing too fancy: just the regular 8 hours of sleep, 30 mins of physical activity/day, 2 l of water. PS: try to squeeze in some veggies in there. Aaand you are good to go. In order to succeed you gotta take good care of yourself too, that’s the deal.In the end, I would like to highlight a few points: be a bit more selfish, think more about your well-being, so that you can be a better person for yourself and the people around you. Also don’t forget about your ambitions and desires. They all require time and a lot of work. You are indeed capable to do everything you put your mind to, but only one thing at a time.

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