Multitasking VS Monotasking — Which Should You Adopt?

What are you doing at the moment, can it wait?

If your answer is yes, then stop it and stop everything else you’re doing as well.

Everything else means EVERYTHING ELSE. Cut out the distraction and focus on this article alone.

Now, what you’re doing is magical and can only be done by those who have superpowers.

Do you know what it’s called?

MONOTASKING.

It’s called MONOTASKING.

Indeed, this is not something you’re familiar with. We all multitask and it makes us feel on top of our game. In the real sense, we’re not.

According to New York Times, a 2014 study shows that interruptions as brief as two to three seconds are enough to double the number of errors individuals make in an assigned task.

Also, another research by the American Psychological Association shows switching between tasks reduces productivity by 40%. In other words, regardless of our capability to learn and assimilate a lot of things, we are originally designed to do one thing at a time.

Contrary to your belief, multitasking shrinks our chances of efficiency and accuracy no matter how easy the task may seem.

Just like some of us are addicted to having chocolate every morning, a large majority are also addicted to multitasking.

Here’s why.

Each time you multi-task successfully, you unconsciously activate the reward in your brain which releases the happy hormone, dopamine. This is what makes you feel so good about multitasking and you tend to see yourself as being effective, and the habit is further encouraged.

Consequently, Psychology today stresses that multitasking can also make you excessively optimistic about your “success” and in return, you become less careful about the work you do and in the end, make mistakes.

In addition to the constant mistakes, you’re practically choking your brain by switching between tasks, says a 2011 study, and this results in short-term memory loss.

Between multitasking and monotasking, you have options, and it somewhat looks like a win-win situation.

Research has suggested that when you multitask, you’re probably 50% quicker on average to accomplish more in a short time. Also, you’re 50% likely to make errors, which means you have to go back to make corrections.

It’s not much of a win-win after all.

Why not try Monotasking?

You get to save your brain from toggling back and forth and aging quickly, enjoy what you’re doing on a deeper level, and at the same time, avoid mistakes.

Another risk you’re taking by multitasking is reducing your chances of making healthy decisions at an older age, 50–80 years precisely.

A recent study by Metlife Mature Market Institute, shows that the biggest predictor of a sound decision-maker (within age 50–80) was a high capacity for strategic attention, the ability to separate the most important tasks from the less important ones.

More so, monotasking or single-tasking is one of the most efficient ways to programme the mind for strategic attention.

Well, it’s never too late to change your habits no matter how addictive they might seem. Attending to your mental health is one awesome decision to make and accomplishing one task at a time wouldn’t kill you, would it?

You don’t have to rush out of it, baby steps are allowed. These few activities can help you monotask and stay healthy while achieving more.

1. Combine related tasks and do things in batches. If you’re writing, you can easily pause to read up additional content relating to what you’re writing about.

2. It’s either you switch off your data and Wi-Fi connection, or you download an application that blocks other apps from sending notifications.

3. Check your e-mails and other messages at specific times in a day, don’t rush off to reply messages immediately you receive a notification.

4. Avoid opening multiple browsers or tabs on your computer. If you have to, make it minimal.

5. If you can, change your workstation. This could be your table or just switch positions, it helps you think better.

6. Take breaks occasionally.

As mentioned earlier, this can’t be achieved in a few hours but in the end, it leaves you satisfied with your job and your chances of getting burned out are slim.

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