Answering emails during a meeting, checking messages while writing, switching tabs every few minutes: multitasking feels efficient. In reality, the brain doesn't do two demanding things at once. It switches back and forth, and every switch costs time and energy.
What the research says
The American Psychological Association summarises studies showing that switching between tasks slows people down and increases errors, and that the lost time adds up quickly across a day. Researcher Sophie Leroy described "attention residue": when you move to a new task, part of your mind stays on the old one, so you don't give either your full attention.
How to single-task
- Choose your one thing. Before you start, write down the single task you're working on and what "done" looks like for this session.
- Close everything else. One window, one tab, phone away.
- Keep a Later List. Capture other tasks and ideas as they come up, instead of acting on them.
- Batch similar tasks. Answer all messages at set times, do all calls together, handle admin in one block.
- Finish or park. Before switching, either finish the task or write a note of where you're up to.
Single-task beyond work
Practise in everyday life too: eat one meal without a screen, listen fully in a conversation, walk without headphones. It trains the same attention muscle.
What about "easy" multitasking?
Doing something automatic (walking, folding laundry) while listening to a podcast is fine. The problem is combining tasks that both need your thinking, like writing and messaging.
PRIME AFFIRMATIONS · READ THEM ALOUD
I give my full attention to one task.
I complete one task before beginning another.
Quality matters more than rushing.
Try it today
Choose one important task and complete it before starting anything else. The One Task at a Time Prime Protocol gives you a daily single-tasking challenge.
Free download: The Focus Reset Kit
Printable tools to win back your attention: Attention Audit, Phone Check Tally, My Phone Rules, Focus Sprint Planner, Later List and a 7-Day Focus Tracker.
Want to rebuild your focus step by step?
The 30-Day Attention Reset Workbook gives you a daily page with Prime Affirmations, a phone-free action, focus-minute tracking and weekly reviews.
Ongoing difficulty concentrating can sometimes be linked to sleep problems, stress, anxiety, depression or ADHD. This article is for general self-development and is not a substitute for professional assessment or treatment.
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