"Trying to multitask is the workplace version of spinning plates . . . except they all end up smashed! In my experience, multitasking is the fastest way to look busy while achieving very little. On the surface, it feels productive because you've got emails on the go, projects open, and calls happening, but the reality is that you're only scratching the surface of each task."
"The real issue with multitasking is the constant switching cost. Every time you change from one task to another, your brain has to reorient itself. You lose rhythm and you lose quality. Instead of giving something your full attention, you end up spreading yourself so thin that nothing gets finished to the standard it could. Productivity isn't about activity, it's about completion and impact. That's what multitasking robs you of."
Multitasking fragments attention and creates the illusion of productivity by keeping many tasks partially done. Frequent task switching imposes cognitive reorientation costs that disrupt rhythm, reduce work quality, and waste time. Spreading effort thin prevents tasks from reaching meaningful completion and diminishes impact. Focus compounds: completing one task builds momentum, frees cognitive space, and enables higher-quality outcomes. Applying a no-stacking rule and intentional productivity systems encourages sustained concentration on priority projects, leading to deeper work, measurable progress, and greater overall effectiveness in the workplace.
Read at Fast Company
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