Multitasking Harms Your Brain! What to Do Instead?
- Calmfidence Council
- Jul 18, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Written by: Dr. Mohita Shrivastava, Calmfidence Council Network Member
Why does multitasking harm your brain, and what should leaders do instead to protect focus and clarity?
Multitasking is still praised as a sign of competence, particularly in high-pressure leadership roles. Yet neuroscience tells a different story, revealing how constant task-switching fragments attention and drains cognitive energy. This article challenges the productivity myth, offering evidence-informed alternatives that support deeper concentration. You’ll discover how simplifying focus can restore calm energy, sharpen decision-making and build the resilience required for sustained, high-quality leadership. For free burnout recovery tools and practical next steps, explore our Burnout Recovery Hub.
For generations, we’ve been told that being a multitasker is a gift—something to take pride in. In today’s fast-paced world, many workplaces still glorify multitasking as a pathway to peak productivity. Business executives even invest in training programmes to transform employees into efficient multitaskers. And in everyday life, juggling multiple tasks is often admired as a sign of efficiency. But here’s the truth: multitasking may be overrated—and even harmful.
Recent neuroscience research has exposed a major myth: we aren’t really multitasking. As one professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology explains,
You can’t multitask. Our brains are wired to do just one cognitively demanding thing at a time.
What we think of as multitasking is actually task switching—rapidly flipping from one task to another.
Each time we shift gears, our brain must suppress one neural network and activate another. For example, switching between an Excel spreadsheet and composing an email forces the brain to disengage from the first task and fire up a new set of cognitive rules. That mental shift costs time, energy, and focus. This is known as cognitive control—and the more we toggle, the more we tax it.
The Cognitive Downside of Multitasking
Multitasking may feel productive, but its hidden effects tell another story:
• Difficulty maintaining focus
• Disrupted selective and sustained attention
• Impaired inhibitory control and reduced mental flexibility
• Struggles with comprehension and summarising information
• Lower retention and increased forgetfulness
• Higher error rates and reduced efficiency
• Increased brain fog and stress
• Delayed task completion
• Emotional instability—irritability, frustration, and impatience
• The Zeigarnik Effect: the brain tends to fixate on unfinished tasks, which leaves lingering mental clutter and diminishes present-moment focus
How to Escape the Multitasking Trap
One powerful insight from research: it takes about 25 minutes to fully re-engage with a task after switching away from it. That’s the 25-Minute Trap. Constant interruptions leave our brains overstretched and underproductive.
So what can you do instead?
• Try the Pomodoro Method: Work in 25-minute focused bursts, followed by a 5–10 minute break. Use this time to rest your mind—stretch, breathe, sip tea, walk, or chat with a friend.
• Monotask with purpose: Tackle one task at a time, from start to finish. This enhances clarity, creativity, and satisfaction.
• Schedule wisely: Use a clear to-do list and structured time blocks. Prioritise tasks based on complexity and energy levels.
• Train your brain: Focused work builds executive functioning, improves attention, and supports emotional regulation.
Monotasking: The Calmfident Way Forward
Multitasking might seem like a superpower—but it’s more like a self-sabotage strategy. Think of it as being a “Jack of all trades, master of none.” In contrast, monotasking helps you master your mind. It builds mental resilience, sharpens decision-making, and boosts emotional intelligence.
At both the individual and organisational level, we must rethink our approach to productivity. The goal is not to do more at once—it’s to do one thing with full presence and purpose.
So next time you feel the urge to juggle, pause. Choose one task. And do it with calm, clarity, and Calmfidence.
About the Author
Dr. Mohita Shrivastava is an award-winning internationally trained neuroscientist and
neuropsychologist, she is the founder of the Cognitome Program. She holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from AlIMS, New Delhi, India & completed her collaborative Ph.D. research training from Kansas University Medical Centre, Kansas, USA.
FAQ
What is multitasking, and why does it harm your brain?
Multitasking usually means rapid task switching rather than doing several things at once. Research often links this constant switching with increased cognitive load, reduced accuracy, and mental fatigue. Over time, it can strain attention and working memory. Practical step: choose one priority task each morning and work on it for 25 uninterrupted minutes. If concentration feels persistently impaired, a GP or clinician can offer guidance.
Why does multitasking increase feelings of burnout?
Multitasking can keep the nervous system in a heightened state of alert, which may feel productive short term but draining over time. Clinical practice commonly observes that this sustained activation contributes to emotional exhaustion and reduced satisfaction. Practical step: notice when you feel rushed and pause for three slow breaths before switching tasks. If burnout symptoms deepen or linger, consider seeking professional support.
How do I stop multitasking at work without falling behind?
Stopping multitasking does not mean doing less, but sequencing work more deliberately. Evidence suggests focused, single-task work often improves quality and efficiency. Practical step: group similar tasks into set time blocks and silence non-essential notifications during them. If workload expectations feel unmanageable, it may help to discuss adjustments with a coach, therapist, or occupational health clinician.
Does multitasking affect sleep and recovery?
It can. Research often links high cognitive stimulation late in the day with difficulty winding down, which may disrupt sleep quality and recovery. Poor sleep can then make focused attention harder the next day. Practical step: create a short evening transition ritual, such as writing tomorrow’s top task before shutting devices down. Ongoing sleep problems are worth discussing with your GP.
Can reducing multitasking support nervous system regulation?
It may. Shifting from constant task switching to steadier focus can signal safety to the nervous system, supporting calmer energy rather than adrenaline-driven momentum. This does not remove stress, but it can soften its impact. Practical step: schedule one daily “single-focus window” and observe how your body feels afterwards. If anxiety remains high, a therapist or clinician can help.
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