What Happens To Your Brain When You Stop Multitasking

Digital technology is the culprit that is causing us to doom scroll when tired, disengaged and unmotivated with the content that motivated you to log onto your device to consume in the first place. That is only the beginning. In the modern workplace (and even when filing cabinets were around, I confirmed this with my adopted parents to get my facts right); reading files while you are supposed to be present to the caller on the other end of the phone line is another classic example of multitasking that causes your brain (although adaptable and intelligent) to lose focus and concentration.

Many of us are guilty as charged to have multiple tabs open on our computer (whether using a laptop, desktop or a tablet - yes even a mobile phone does not discriminate) when only one tab should be open while listening to a YouTube video or a webinar, for example. Us humans want to achieve, and we do not want to miss a beat. Playing on our phones while we are supposed to be focused on something else also counts as multitasking, whether constructive as the final outcome or otherwise.

“Multitasking is not efficient,” says Dr. Earl Miller, Neuroscientist and Professor at MIT. “The brain is very good at deluding itself into thinking it’s doing more than it actually is.”

In other words, this MIT Professor and Neuroscientist is purporting that multitasking is like a switching or opportunity cost.

On this, a quality question beckons. What really happens to your brain when you decide to stop multitasking, and hence start focusing on one thing at at time?

Like anything new, old habits die hard. There may (or will) be withdrawal symptoms when you focus on one thing at a time, and one thing only. According to neuroscience, multitasking is not about engaging in multiple tasks and activities at a time (usually of low activity); multitasking is all about switching our attention between tasks as quickly as soap removes dirt, and that is costly to our brains and attention spans; least of all our psyche for sure.

This mental ping-pong happens when you (say) are writing a report, and you stop this task the moment another email message comes in, whether or not a loud ping follows on your computer. Right now I am writing this article. If I stop writing this article and check my phone for messages or emails, and then immediately return to writing this article; this is where multitasking happens, where you are busy sure, however your brain is drained and unaccomplished in a short space of time, and understandably so. If you have the luxury of creating your own day at work; focus on one task at a time. Set a timer if you need to (30 minutes on a task at a time is ideal), and you will be surprised with how much you have accomplished without your brain frying out by lunchtime.

If you need to deal with constant interruptions with your work, remember to take a deep breath at the time. Cognitive relief happens when your brain is not constantly starting and stopping. Your brain (everything from the prefrontal cortex onwards) can actually breathe and receive the oxygen it needs in order to function.

Yoga is another form of brain training. In an hours long yoga session, you have surrendered to the element of self care, even though the monkey mind is exceptionally good at distracting you from particularly challenging, grounding yoga poses. Phone calls, emails and text messages and other notifications just have to wait until that particular yoga session is over.

When multitasking softens (meaning that you are engaging in such a past-time less often); the neural pathways begin to strengthen. The book by James Collins called Good To Great has a significant point there. One thing/task/project at a time only. That is correct in now knowing that multitasking weakens your brains neural pathways. Neuroplasticity is a thing. Your brain chemistry can quickly change for the better.

Other benefits of not multitasking, and only focusing on one task at a time until you decide to take a break from such a task also include:

• Deep work reaches a flow state. Uninterrupted, concentrated effort boosts creativity, as well as learning recall and receptivity.
• Your memory naturally improves. Your cognitive abilities sharpen, because you are immersed in that flow state.
• Your stress levels naturally drop. Your body is no longer having to survive in fight-flight-freeze mode. The latter is because your brain (and then the body, thanks to communication from your brain) is always on alert, and therefore the nervous system is unregulated. When stress raises, human grit, resilience, and determination naturally drops.
• Productivity is sustainable, and is no longer just a buzzword to be thrown around like a hot potato. Deep ideas surface, because creativity is becoming unlocked when single tasking, and only focusing on one task at a time.

Per the above, yours truly has found that less errors and editing is required on these feature articles for Vocal Media when in the zone and productive, thanks to single-tasking. This is because the mind is calm and relaxed. Therefore your entire body is calm and relaxed, and therefore present to this bout of creativity, including the magic of the keyboard taps that create these words, and all of my words to date. Again, when stress is down, your cortisol levels are also down. This keeps all hormones balanced, and depression is either not a thing, or it has no voice. The psyche is calm and relaxed. When the latter is at peace, burnout is way less of an issue, or a non-event.

The brain will be bored and confused at first, yet it will quickly adapt to having way less tabs open on the computer, and where only one task is worked on at a time. According to research from Stanford University; people who frequently multitask perform worse on tests of attention, memory, and task switching, than with those individuals who focus on one task at a time.

“When people multitask, they learn less and remember less, even if they think they’re learning just as well.” - Dr Russell Poldrack, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University.

Once again, I shall leave you with a song that is intended to remind us all to focus on one thing at a time for optimum results, and therefore greater genuine life satisfaction. No multitasking. Keep things steady and grounded, the by-product of focusing on only one thing at a time. I Won't Back Down by Tom Petty: