monotasking vs multitasking essay

Should We All Be Monotasking?

We undoubtedly live in an age of being plugged in all the time, and while mindfulness  experts advocate for being totally in the moment, multitasking is hard to give up. And the workplace doesn't help: "I'm great at multitasking"—just like being a team player and always meeting deadlines—earns gold stars on performance reviews.

But is it good for you?

A 2014 study found that interruptions as brief as just two to three seconds (hello, pop-up email alert) were enough to double the number of errors participants made on an assigned task. Another study  concluded that high media multitaskers are more easily distracted than those who limit their time toggling. Plus, a recent experiment on Manoush Zomorodi's Note to Self podcast found that information overload makes us prone to distractions, and therefore less productive. "Our gadgets and all the things we look at on them are designed to not let us single-task," Zomorodi says.

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It's too bad, because "monotasking" can actually make your work feel more enjoyable. "Almost any experience is improved by paying full attention to it," psychologist and Stanford lecturer Kelly McGonigal tells the New York Times . "Attention is one way your brain decides, 'Is this interesting? Is this worthwhile? Is this fun?'" Case in point: you find yourself texting during Meredith's latest drama on Grey's Anatomy , but give Olivia Pope's antics on  Scandal your full attention. McGonical asserts that monotasking "needs to be practiced," and that "it's an important ability and a form of self-awareness as opposed to a cognitive limitation."

Humans only have so many resources in their brains, and they're depleted every time we switch between tasks, Zomorodi says, adding that this can happen up to 400 times a day . "That's why you feel tired at the end of the day," she says. "You've used them all up."

And um...final tip: leave your phone behind next time you go to the bathroom. It's good to monotask in there, too.

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The Life-Changing Magic of Monotasking

Multitasking isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be.

While a mainstay of job listing for decades, it turns out that the ability to “multitask” is less about being able to work on two or more things at the same time, and more an exercise in futility as we switch between different tasks while not giving our full attention to any of them.

There has to be, as they say, a better way. The opposite of multitasking, monotasking helps to increase our creativity, energy, and focus by giving our full attention to the task at hand. Far from an admission of defeat, in today’s fast-paced world it could be argued that monotasking is the only way any of us are able to get anything done.

In this article I’m going to dig into why monotasking, not multitasking, is the secret to getting ahead in life and work, the dangers of context switching when trying to achieve deep work, and the five steps that you can take right now to start monotasking today.

Let’s dive in and discover, in an ode to Marie Kondo , the life-changing magic of monotasking.

What is Monotasking?

Monotasking, also referred to as single tasking, is the act of working on one task at a time, instead of attempting to work on multiple tasks at once.

The benefits of monotasking cannot be overstated. When we multitask, we’re putting tremendous stress on our brains as we flit backwards and forwards between different tasks. In an article for Forbes , Sandra Bond Chapman notes that environments that place a high value on the ability to multitask, including the majority of today’s places of work, are promoting a potentially damaging narrative:

Multitasking is a brain drain that exhausts the mind, zaps cognitive resources and, if left unchecked, condemns us to early mental decline and decreased sharpness. Chronic multitaskers also have increased levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, which can damage the memory region of the brain.

Similarly, Earl Miller, a neuroscientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and one of the world experts on divided attention, noted in the Guardian that our brains are not wired for multitasking:

When people think they’re multitasking, they’re actually just switching from one task to another very rapidly. And every time they do, there’s a cognitive cost in doing so.

Monotasking vs. Multitasking

If our brains are not wired for multitasking, then montasking could be the answer to our prayers where it comes to reducing overwork and generally feeling more accomplished in our day to day lives.

In most circumstances and for most people, attempts to multitask often result in a reduction in productivity, as we chug away doing two, three, or even four tasks poorly, as opposed to opting to monotask and do one task to the best of our creative abilities.

This has certainly been true for me. Whenever I’m feeling burned out, I can be all-but certain that the reason for this is an overpacked schedule in which I’m moving from one meeting to the next, snatching ten minutes here and there in which to catch up on emails or attempt to fit some “real work” into my day. In contrast, my most relaxing days are those in which I sit down to focus on one singular task—in my case this often consists of writing articles such as this one —and seeing it through to completion before moving on to something else.

Multitasking splits your attention between multiple tasks at the same time, whereas monotasking focuses on and fully participates in one.

The Dangers of Context Switching

When we describe multitasking we’re often describing context switching , the act of opening up our email and looking through it for “just” two minutes before returning to our original task. Context switching is inherently bad for us—every time we switch between doing our work and reading an article online, or reading an article online and checking our phones, we experience a “transaction cost” that drains our energy and slows us down.

Context switching is inherently dangerous to our ability to do deep work. Cal Newport is a computer science professor at Georgetown University and the author of five books, including Deep Work . According to Newport:

Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. It’s a skill that allows you to quickly master complicated information and produce better results in less time. Deep work will make you better at what you do and provide the sense of true fulfillment that comes from craftsmanship.

The “dangers” of context switching aren’t just hypothetical. In an article for The New Yorker , Maria Konnikova spoke with University of Utah professor of psychology David Strayer, who through his research into people who drive while on the phone, was able to demonstrate that drivers who talked on the phone were “at just as high a risk of accidents as intoxicated ones.”

Reaction time slowed, attention decreased to the point where they’d miss more than half the things they’d otherwise see—a billboard or a child by the road, it mattered not.

Strayer’s research took place over the course of a decade ending in 2012, and was limited to people taking phone calls while driving. It did not look at the growing trend of people operating their smartphones—that is, looking at their phone screens, instead of the road—when driving their vehicles.

Five Steps to Start Monotasking Today

So, how can you start monotasking right now in a bid to claw back your creativity, energy, and focus, as well as your ability to do deep work?

Here are five steps that you can take to start monotasking today:

1. Embrace the Pomodoro Technique

Developed by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s, the Pomodoro Technique breaks down work (or studying, or exercising, or whatever it is you need to do) into short chunks of time, with a brief break in between each. Here’s what it looks like in practice:

• Set your Pomodoro timer for 25 minutes
• Work on your task
• After 25 minutes is up, take a 3-5 minute break
• After 4 pomodoros, take a longer 25-30 minute break

The beauty of the Pomodoro Technique is it gives you permission to take a break from your work on a fixed schedule. I use the Pomodoro Technique in my own work (as I write this I have 7 minutes and 27 seconds left until my next 3-5 minute break) and I have found it to be invaluable in my efforts to focus on just one task at a time.

If 25 minutes is too long for you to remain focused on one task at the beginning of your monotasking journey, start with just 10 or 15 minutes of focused work, and build up to 25 minutes over the span of several focused weeks.

2. Save for Later

If you work online, there’s a good chance that you come across many articles and videos throughout your day that force you to make a decision: Do you stop what you’re doing to start reading or watching the new, exciting piece of content in front of you, or do you choose to keep working on your current task, either bypassing the new, shiny object completely, or keeping it in an open tab with the intention of coming back to it later?

If you’re anything like me, you often opt for the first option, breaking your momentum with your current task.

Instead, I strongly encourage you to start saving these items for later. Whether you choose to make a special bookmarks folder in your internet browser, or you sign up for a free service such as Instapaper or Pocket which make it easy to “clip” an article or video, opting to save these items for later will block these distractions in the present.

3. Make a To-Do List, Break Down Tasks

I’ve written multiple times on the importance of creating a to-do list. In my book on morning routines I encouraged readers to create a to-do list for the following day and place their most important work at the top.

One caveat I should have noted is that to-do lists only work if you work on one task in the list at a time. Working on your first and second most important tasks for the day at the same time isn’t especially helpful, as the creativity, energy, and focus that you will lose by constantly context switching between the two will far outweigh any mystical multitasking benefits you may believe you’re receiving.

It’s also important to ensure that the tasks you are working on are small enough that it is clear what is expected of you in order to cross it off your list. For example, “Launch website” is extremely esoteric, whereas “Write copy for website homepage” has a clear end point.

4. Reduce Clutter in Your Work Life

Clutter is distracting, especially when you’re trying to monotask. While this is certainly true of physical clutter (unless you’re a creative-type who finds inspiration in the mess ), I’m referring here to digital clutter.

When I’m working, I silence my phone and reduce the number of notifications that can make it onto my home screen. While I can’t put my phone in another room entirely—I need to be able to be reached during work hours—I find this to be a good compromise whereby I never miss a call, but I’m not distracted by less-important notifications. Similarly, I encourage you to only open your email inbox at designated periods throughout your day, instead of always having it open in the background.

Lastly, one of my favorite “hacks” to encourage monotasking is putting a limit on how many internet browser tabs you can have open at any one time. While you can go this alone; choosing to only have a maximum of three tabs open at a time, for example, most browsers have extensions that can limit this for you by either not allowing you to open a new tab once you’ve hit your limit, or by deleting your least-used tab.

5. Listen to Productivity Music

If there’s one thing that improves my ability to monotask above all else it’s listening to music to improve my productivity, focus, and concentration.

I’ve written a whole article on productivity music that I encourage you to read, so I won’t go into too much detail about this here, but essentially productivity music is any music that fades into the background, allowing you to focus more heavily on your work.

This can consist of classical music, electronic music, and even white noise. Read the article in full for a list of my favorite productivity music, and where to find it.

I hope I’ve convinced you of the life-changing magic of monotasking over its much-celebrated older brother. Try monotasking for just one week and let me know how you get on.

If you’re interested in hearing more from me, be sure to subscribe to my free email newsletter , and if you enjoyed this article, please share it on social media, link to it from your website, or bookmark it so you can come back to it often. ∎

Benjamin Spall

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Monotasking vs Multitasking: How to Get More Done

• By: Ryan Kane
• Updated: February 21, 2024
• Time to read: 5 min.

Monotasking — focusing on one thing at a time — is a way to apply mindfulness to your work life, increase your productivity, and improve your odds at ending up in a state of flow. If you find yourself jumping from task to task while working, you’re not alone. In a world full of distractions, multitasking is a common response—even though research shows it lowers productivity.

It’s a debate as old as the first conversation about productivity:

Should I multitask to get more done? Or just focus on one thing at a time?

Get dozens of one-page exercises to help practice mindfulness, meditation, gratitude, and self love. Perfect for printable handouts when teaching mindfulness to groups, students, or in the workplace.

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Mindfulness is closely associated with monotasking, or focusing on a single task at time. Although the research is clear that multitasking tends to lower productivity , the debate goes on.

Some people claim that multitasking simply works better for them; and then there’s the magical-sounding group of so-called supertaskers, the 2.5% of us who excel at multitasking .

Below, we’ll explore each of these angles in the debate about monotasking and multitasking, all in the context of mindfulness.

Monotasking vs multitasking

The main difference between single-tasking vs multitasking is that monotasking is associated with deep focus and concentration on a single activity, whereas multitasking involves doing multiple tasks simultaneously, or “task switching,” which refers to jumping between tasks.

Monotasking is the act of focusing your full attention on a single task . When you find yourself getting distracted, or being drawn towards other tasks, you gently bring yourself back to the original task at hand. Or, if you did decide to switch tasks, you’d stay singularly focused on the new task.

Multitasking is the habit of doing multiple tasks at once , or “task switching” between different activities. This can refer to anything from talking on the phone while driving your car, to listening to a podcast while writing, to having a dozen browser tabs open and jumping between them.

Proponents of multitasking may have specific reasons for jumping between tasks.

For example, if your job involves both managing people and getting work of your own done, you may be drawn by the demands of the day towards jumping back and forth between the two.

Personal preference, habits and the particulars of a work environment can all weigh in on the decision to multitask or monotask.

What’s the right way to multitask?

Kat Boogard at Trello, the productivity app, argues that multitasking and task switching should be understood separately .

Task switching, the aspect of multitasking generally studied in scientific research, is now understood by most to negatively affect performance. It should be avoided. Task switching results in cognitive overload and a mental drag on performance, as you’re still thinking about the last activity as you start the next activity.

However, multitasking doesn’t have to be detrimental. “Classic” multitasking, in the sense of doing two activities at the same time, may not impact performance. The activities need to be different enough that they don’t result in cognitive overload.

Typically, this means combining activities that use different senses. For example, think about biking and listening to a podcast, or taking a walk while talking to a friend on the phone.

Writer Peter Bregman suggested a possible quadruple-tasking scenario —biking to work while planning your day—which covers the tasks of:

• Commuting to work
• Preparation for the day
• Starting your day with positive energy

3 Reasons to stop multitasking

Studies show that multitasking in the sense of task switching—jumping back and forth between tasks—is detrimental.

Here are some reasons to avoid it.

1. Multitasking lowers productivity (and even IQ)

One review of multitasking and mindfulness literature found:

“ Research shows that multitasking lowers IQ, shrinks the gray matter, and lowers productivity by 40% . Conversely, mindfulness increases gray matter and improves regions involved with learning and memory processes, modulation of emotional control, and the process of awareness.”

2. Multitasking uses more time and energy

It’s generally understand in the psychological literature that there is a mental cost to the brain of switching between tasks.

Various studies have been preferred which instruct subjects to jump between tasks, and then measure the time cost to performance. These are then compared with subjects who simply repeated the same task, instead of switching.

Here’s what one such study from 2001 found:

“ …Participants lost time when they had to switch from one task to another. As tasks got more complex, participants lost more time. As a result, people took significantly longer to switch between more complex tasks.”

3. Multitasking is driven by distraction, not intention

Multitasking is typically considered at odds with mindfulness because it’s frequently driven by distraction, as well as an accommodation of external demands on our time, rather than our own priorities. Monotasking is an antidote to these issues.

When we sit down to make progress on a project, and decide to handle incoming emails, phone calls and employee requests at the same time, we’re missing the chance to apply all of our focus to our most important task . We also miss the chance to create and stick to our own intention for how we’d like to use that time.

A mindful approach to the day would instead involve setting our own priorities and goals, creating space for each priority, and giving the full power of our attention to each one.

Of course, this is hard and sometimes unrealistic, given that modern workplaces provide significant distraction and that our brains are wired for distraction in the first place.

For these reasons, even though we may want to monotask, we often multitask.

How to stop multitasking—with mindfulness

If you’re a die-hard multitasker, consider adding meditation into the mix. It may help you to reduce stress and cognitive overload that come from multitasking.

Although mindfulness isn’t generally associated with multitasking, that doesn’t mean that mindfulness practices won’t help you become a better multitasker.

A study by University of Washington Information School professors David Levy and Jacob Wobbrock studied three groups of people in a series of multitasking experiments.

One group had been given eight weeks of meditation and mindfulness training, another eight weeks of body relaxation training, and the control group received no training.

The results showed that the meditation group reported lower levels of stress while multitasking than the other two groups.

Is monotasking better than multitasking?

Monotasking is not better or worse than multitasking.

Multitasking is often the brain’s preferred way to get things done, and while we can strive towards monotasking and mindfulness, we’ll still face situations where we need to manage multiple tasks at once.

Plus, while some people prefer monotasking, others thrive while juggling multiple tasks in a busy environment and a small percentage of us are supertaskers who face no productivity hit when multitasking.

However, research has shown that multitasking can lead to cognitive overload and can hamper productivity by up to 40%.

So whether you’re a monotasker or multitasker at heart, be aware of the research when planning your approach to work. And if you feel cognitive overload, consider approaching your day mindfully by taking on tasks one at a time, giving each your full attention.

Further reading

For more on mindfulness, focus, and productivity, check out these articles on flow:

• Mindfulness vs Flow
• 11 Flow Triggers (to Induce Flow State)

My mindfulness practice kicked off in 2016 with a ten-day silent retreat . Since then, I’ve read dozens of books about mindfulness and completed hundreds of hours of meditation. Thinking about what makes humans happy, calm, and peaceful is endlessly fascinating to me.

Digital Marketing, Affiliate Marketing & Blogging Tips!

Monotasking vs Multitasking – The Best Trick For Productivity

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We have all heard the phrase “Work Smarter Not Harder”, but there’s a second phrase that is just as relevant which says “Don’t Be Busy, Be Productive”.

Productivity is one of those terms where we all understand the concept. We have so many reasons to want to be more productive in our lives! But how do we actually become more productive? 

You may be starting a blog or your own business and need to be more focused. You may want to be more productive as a student, a parent or just needing to get your life a little more organised working from home. Learning how to utilise monotasking can make such a difference to how much work you are able to get done.

Monotasking is such an amazing tool for anyone who wants to improve their concentration and focus.

It is key for those who wants to get more done in less time and  for anyone who wants to stay consistently productive, but without the feeling of overwhelm.

If you find you are unable to focus at work, unable to concentrate on your own tasks at home, and are wanting to get more work done in less time and be consistently productive, then monotasking may just be for you! 

Finding yourself unable to focus on work can be so frustrating!

Knowing how to get more done in less time and make your day productive can be a game changer. 

If you have a hard time staying focused on work or find that you jump between tasks – even without meaning to – then I completely understand as I struggle with this too. 

I wrote a post not too long ago on ways to stay focused and those absolutely still apply, the trick may be to use those ideas while also trying out monotasking!

Check that post out here!

Everyone works differently and has different things that work for them, if you’re one of those people that need extra help to focus (like myself), utilising the tools mentioned in that post and in this one may help a lot as it did me!

What Is Monotasking

Monotasking is also known as single-tasking – both of which are good descriptors!

The definition of monotasking literally means to do one task at a time. 

It’s where you focus on one thing at a time and once you have given full focus to one task, only then do you move onto the second task.

This could be until this one task is fully completed, or until the time allotted to that specific task has elapsed.

At any point in time during your working hours (or studying hours if you are a student), you will only put your focus on one task at a time.  

It sounds simple and in theory, it is!

As with anything though, it can take time to really be able to monotask efficiently and effectively. 

The key with monotasking though is that you dedicate all your focus to this task (or as much focus as is possible depending on your situation).

In this day and age nearly everything is a distraction – including other tasks! 

We are all striving to get as much done as possible.

Most of us probably think we are better at multitasking than we realistically are (in terms of tasks that require a lot of focus).

It’s been proven that people often are a lot more productive and get a lot more finished when they are able to focus on one task at a time.

The important part of monotasking (to do it properly), is to minimise as many distractions as possible. 

A lot of people believe that they are expert multitaskers but research has shown that attempting to multitask has a huge impact on productivity. It can decrease your productivity by up to 40%! 

Keeping your focus on just that one task and eliminating external distractions lets your mind get fully absorbed into it and can really help the amount of internal distractions. In turn this means you can get that task completed and can then move on.

What Are The Benefits Of Monotasking?

The main difference between monotasking and multitasking is that with monotasking you focus on one task until completed/a set time has passed. Multitasking is trying to complete all tasks simultaneously.

Even just written down, monotasking sounds like the ideal way to be more productive and get more done in a day! 

When we multitask it’s not often that we are physically actually doing more than one thing at once. What we are actually doing is jumping between different tasks, without finishing one before moving on to the next one.

We aren’t as focused when multitasking as our attention is split between all tasks.

You are so much more likely to miss details and make mistakes when multitasking.

Giving your full attention to one task means your mind is focused on that one task, so you’re much less likely to make mistakes or miss out any important details.

Some benefits of monotasking vs multitasking would: 

It helps you to improve concentration and focus.

You are able to focus at work more – be it at a job or on your own business/tasks.

Monotasking allows you to get more done in less time.

It helps you to be more consistently productive and become a more productive person overall.

Monotasking vs Multitasking – Why Does Monotasking Work?

Often through no real fault of our own, our default mode is to try and either do lots of different tasks at once, or get distracted with various things going on around us.

It’s how we have been programmed to work and behave, constantly jumping between tasks, feeling like we are getting loads done but actually achieving very little. 

By the end of your working/school day you may feel you have been really productive, and that’s great! But how much more could you have gotten done today by monotasking instead of multitasking and giving each task your undivided attention?

Internal vs External Distractions

I wanted to add this point in as it’s relevant to the above points on getting distracted.

We all get distracted – that is a part of life – but some people get more easily distracted than others.

The difference between internal and external distractions is that external distractions are the things that catch our attention, while internal distractions are the things that distract from inside ourselves, e.g. emotions, feelings and thoughts.

Ways to help with external distractions could be;

Telling those in your home that you’re going to be busy for X amount of time and only to disturb you if it’s urgent.

Putting your phone onto “do not disturb” or turning off notifications.

Walking your dog before starting your task so that they will (hopefully) be asleep.

Getting a big bottle of water to keep yourself hydrated.

Internal distractions can be a little tricker, especially for anyone with things on their mind.

Some ways you can help internal distractions could be things like;

Practising meditation before starting your task.

Reminding yourself how much better you will feel once this task is completely done.

Using things like fidget rings as a small outlet but that doesn’t take over. (Some fidget type toys may be too distracting so stick to smaller objects like the rings.)

The key to monotasking successfully is setting yourself up for your success. 

Get your environment and surroundings sorted (as much as possible) to give yourself the best chance for uninterrupted work time.

How To Use Monotasking To Have A Productive Day

You may have gotten to this point and thought that monotasking sounds like it would be an amazing tool for you to be more productive, but how does it work in a real day-to-day scenario?

This of course will look different for everyone depending on if you work in or out of the home, if you work for yourself or for someone else, if you have children or pets etc.

Your day may look a little different when you conciously choose monotasking vs multitasking.

The main things to focus on here are the times in the day where you can put as much focus as possible on one task at a time.

Write Down The Main Tasks You Need To Complete

Either that morning or the night before, make yourself a list of the top few tasks you want to accomplish the next day. The ones that are non-negotiables.

Don’t try to put 14 things on this list!

Aim for around 3-6 things depending on the time you have and the size of the tasks.

Block Out Time To Complete These Tasks

You will most likely have a rough idea how long tasks will take you, so make sure you block out a suitable amount of time.

If you aren’t sure at all how long they will take, block out a set amount of time.

If you get the task completed – amazing.

On the other hand if you don’t get it completed, you have still worked on it for the set amount of time you allocated and are now that much closer to having it be completed. 

You can either block out small amounts of time over the day, or you can plan your whole day out into different blocks of time, depending on what you are working to accomplish that day.

Adapting it to suit yourself and your life is key, but the ideal behind it is the same – to be more productive and be able to focus more with work.

Meditate For 5-10 Minutes Before Starting

If you really struggle keeping focus, you may find that meditating can really help to clear and calm your mind before you start.

Let The People In Your Office/Home Know You Need Time To Focus 

This may well be trickier if you have small children, a puppy, or work in an environment where you can’t shut yourself away to focus for that set amount of time. 

You will find you can get a lot more completed in 30 mins of complete undisturbed focus than of 2 hours disturbed focus where you try and multitask.

Listen To Music

If you are able to put headphones on to zone out to the outside world, this can also help so much.

This was one of the huge tips talked about in the post: How To Get a Killer Blog Post Written In 1 Hour Or Less

You will know what sort of music helps you to be more productive and focus more at work.

It may be something upbeat/with a good beat, it may be classical music, or even heavy metal!

The genre of music is a personal choice, the important part is that it helps you to focus on the tasks in front of you.

Things to help you focus

Monotasking is an amazing tool to help you be more productive, but as with anything, it takes practice. 

As mentioned above the key is preparing yourself BEFORE you sit down to complete your tasks.

In this post there are ways to help you stay focused overall, but the items below are more specific to helping you stay focused while monotasking.

There are amazing things you can get to help you to improve your focus!

Try one or a combination of these ideas to help you focus and become a lot more productive:

A Visual Timer

Timers like these are perfect for those that need a visual note of the time in front of them!

If having the time counting down in front of you helps, these would be perfect.

A different type of timer is a cube timer.

Cube timers are perfect as they have different set times on each side and you can just flip it over to the time needed at any given time. 

Planners are perfect for anyone trying to be more organised and get more done in a day.

They allow you to not only map out what needs done, but also when things can get done.

If you’re looking to become more productive, a planner is an ideal tool to help.

Noise Cancelling Headphones

A pair of noise cancelling headphones can help you focus more on the music than anything going on around you.

It allows you to absorb the sort of music that motivates you, but blocks out external distractions, making them the ideal work item!

Do Not Disturb Sign

This one is a little gimmicky but also may make people think twice before disturbing you, but getting a little “do not disturb” sign may just help in giving you that time to really focus. 

Fidget Rings

Fidget rings (and fidget toys in general) can really help in providing that mild focus that in turn helps you focus on the task at hand.

It can work in a similar way to music, in that if you need that bit of distraction/stimulation but without it taking over, getting small fidget toys can help this.

My fidget toy of choice for keeping my mind focused are fidget rings, as they are small and not overly distracting, but do provide that movement which can really help.

Large Water Bottle 

Staying hydrated will definitely help to keep your mind focused.

Having a large water bottle next to you while you work can really help remind you to drink and can help not give you any excuse to have to leave whichever task you’re working on.

Those are the main differences between monotasking vs multitasking. Hopefully you now also see why monotasking is the best way to be the most productive in the day.

Monotasking is ideal for either short amounts of time or you can carry monotasking through your entire day. 

Have you heard of monotasking before?

Do you think you can add monotasking into your daily routine instead of always multitasking?

Do you find any of the above products helped you?

Let me know in the comments below! 

Speak soon! 

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65 Comments

According to chren.

We completely agree that monotasking is better for productivity!

Katherine McLee

It works so well – much better than I initially thought it would when I first heard of it!

Having ADHD, these are great tips!! I’m definitely looking into that cube timer!

It’s a great invention as all you need to do is turn it to the side you need and it sets itself! Thank you!

Whitney Stewart

This is great advice as always! I’m not a procrastinator, but it never hurts to pick up a few tid bits here and there to make sure I don’t start! Thanks so much for sharing!

Absolutely, sometimes the smallest tips can make the biggest difference! Thank you!

Karen Kasberg

Monotasking is something I am working really hard on. It is definitely more productive for me, I just need to get better at doing it. lol

It’s not as easy as it sounds but can make such a difference! Practice is key lol

Monotasking works better for me. I cannot multitask because I end up not accomplishing anything.

Great article, as always!

Monotasking is a great tool. I think so many of us try and multitask but it really isn’t as effective as we would like to believe lol. Thank you so much!

Hi Kay, amazing! Once again, great job. You’re so on point we have to be sure that we’re practicing how to enjoy life more. These are great suggestions to help in the process.

Thank you so much! It can really take the stress out of things!

Drew Alexander Ross

Loved the breakdown of this post! Making a checklist and blocking time are huge tools for me in monotasking. Thanks for sharing 🙂

And the time cube sounds perfect for creative writing!

Thank you! Checklists are amazing lol blocking time can be a game changer! It can be tricky to focus initially but is so worth it! 🙂

I love these tips! This subject is huge for me… I’ve been talking about the myth of multitasking for years! I love the timers and am going to have to buy one. And this was a good reminder to turn some calming music on. I used to do that when I first started blogging, and somehow I’ve gotten away from it. Thank you!

Thank you! It’s hard as so many of us have been conditioned to think that doing multiple tasks at once is the most productrive way to be when it’s now been shown that it’s not at all! Having music on can really help!

Janet Oberson

I always thought I was a good multitasker but I think I’m becoming a better monotasker!

I think we all feel like we get more done when multitasking but it’s rarely the case!

JamieAdStories

I believe you have to get one job completed before the next.

Absolutely! It’s been shown this is the best way to be our most productive!

Oh my gosh, I have to monotask or I’d be running around even more like a chicken with my head cut off (such a weird saying). I do use the Pomodoro method though. I’m a bottle, cup, and mug queen. I just purchased the water bottle, hah.

I love a good water bottle lol! The Pomodoro method isn’t something I’ve tried as I am a little worried that I will get distracted in those 5 minutes and it won’t wory – but will give it a try and see how that goes too!

JOHN MULINDI

I sometimes multitask but I prefer monotasking as it is more productive and I don’t get distracted easily.

Absolutely! Giving a task your full attention is the best way!

Isabella dorgu

You know, I never thought about the word “mono tasking” before. Interesting concept of seeing things from this angle. I absolutely agree that it is something more productive to focus on one thing than getting distracted by others and end up not doing anything!

That’s exactly it! I think so many of us try to multitask but just end up junmping between lots of different tasks without ever completing that many! Monotasking lets us complete all the tasks – in less time!

Great read. Think I’ll try this at work tomorrow. It’s so easy to multitask and do a million things without completing them!

Let me know how you get on! It can be tricky to begin with but really works so well!

Fransic verso

I didn’t know the term Monotasking but I know about focusing on one task. These are interesting cool products to use as well.

Thank you! It’s a good term and as a practice can really help us to get more done in less time!

Not-So-Modern-Girl

Great post! I like the idea of monotasking. I often start one task, and then move onto another one, and then another. Sometimes, I need to concentrate on one thing at a time and not split my focus. Thank you 🙂

Thank you! That’s exactly like me! Then we stop half way through, forget we haven’t finished bits or run out of time lol! Monotasking really helps get everything completed in a shorter amount of time! 🙂

Marian Fink

I am guilty of trying to multi task, especially with 4 kids. I love your practical steps. I use a fidget spinner ring to help and am trying to chunk out time to be completely focused!

The fidget rings are great aren’t they! Blocking out sets of time is such an amazing way to get things done, it can be tricky but is worth it!

Literally Laurie

I need to monotask more often! I might to be stricter in how I approach my writing. Apprecated your advice.

Thank you! It takes practice but it’s a good habit to get in to as it means we can get so much more done in less time!

Julie Russell

Great post! You did a great job explaining monotasking, how it works, and why it’s better than multitasking. It’s so true that we get distracted, end up doing everything at once, and not be as productive as we could be. I will have to try this method, thanks for sharing! I look forward to reading more articles!

Thank you! We often feel busy/productive when we are multitasking but don’t actually get much done! Let me know how you get on trying it! 🙂

Great post! We have the visual timer shown in this post and find it to be extremely helpful!

It’s really handy to see the time left! I’m so glad you find it helpful!

Great tips! I definitely need to try practicing monotasking. I’m always so busy but I swear it seems I get nothing done!

It’s so easy to spend so much time being so busy but not actually being able to tick many things off of your to do list! Monotasking helps in that you consistently tick things off one after the other! 🙂

Pauline Stephens

What a great post. I have learned to monotask over the past few years and its changed everything about my workflow. I used to praise being able to multitask until I realized how stressing it was on me. Monotasking is the way to go and yes I use music to help me complete each task at a time. Thank you for sharing all these tips!

Thank you so much! It’s such an amazing way to be more productive isn’t it! Stress is a good way to describe the feeling of trying to multitask but not actually getting anything completed! I’m a big listener of music too!

Really great ideas! Having a timer and playing music helped me a lot in college. great tips thank you for sharing this wisdom!

Thank you! Sometimes the simplest solutions show the biggest results!

I’ve never even HEARD of monotasking before! The things I learn while blogging! Lol! But seriously this is such a good way to stay proactive, without feeling like you have to scam it all into in day or one shift. Thanks so much! I’ll be holding onto timhis for future use!

It can be an absolute game changer! It takes practice but can definitely help! Thank you!

Monotasking is such a great idea but can definitely be difficult putting into practice. Thanks for providing so many ways to minimize distractions which can help so many be more successful with monotasking!

It really can be tricky and everyone’s situation is different. Being able to practice monotasking can really help!

A really informative read. I’m more of a multitasker but now i’m thinking I should give monotasking a go!

Thank you! Absolutely try it! Let me know how you get on!

Deanna | Life By Deanna

Love this! Multi-tasking is just not productive (at least for me) so I often do this type of work. I like the products you mentioned too. Great things to try!

Thank you! Multi-tasking very much feels productive without actually being productive where as monotasking helps to get tasks completed!

I struggle with staying focused on one task at a time. A fidget ring sounds like the perfect option to facilitate monotasking. Great suggestion!

The fidget rings are amazing as they aren’t a massive distraction but definitely help! Thank you!

I love this article!!! What has helped reduce my stress and anxiety especially when I feel overwhelmed and trying to multitask is to write everything down via a brain dump and then prioritize my tasks. I use the timer suggestion that you have and that helps tremendously! I recommend following all of Katherine’s suggestions in her post and if you’re still feeling overwhelmed here are 8 things to do-tips from a therapist! https://pantearahimian.com/8-things-to-do-when-your-life-feels-overwhelming/

I’m really glad you loved it! 🙂

I love listening to music when I monotask, and then I’d be so focus that I tuned out my music as well.

Music is amazing to get you into the right frame of mind! Getting fully into “the flow” is the ideal! 😀

I have to say, the practicality of your post is just gold! I started using clockify to track how I’m spending my time and hoping to keep myself from distractions

Thank you!! Being aware where your time is going is a HUGE thing as often we have no idea until we make a concious effort to track/make note of it! Only when we know where the time is going can we reallocate it to more productive things! 😀

LOVE this! I used to hire people where I worked before retirement, and almost to a person they had “great at multitasking” in their resumes. That was a red flag to me!

I have that exact cube timer you show and use it all the time. I’ll be sharing your post in my FB group!

Absolutely! I think with some things multitasking can work but the idea of jumping from one task to the next “trying” to get things done just doesn’t work! The cube timer is great isn’t it!! Thank you! I hope it helps others too! 😀

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Multitasking is dead. Monotasking is better for our health, relationships and productivity

For so long, the concept of juggling many tasks at once was a resume-worthy skill. In a way, the more balls you could keep in the air without seemingly faltering, the more adept you appeared to friends, colleagues and superiors.

Recently, though — and perhaps fast-tracked by the pandemic — conversations about “hustle culture” and multitasking ourselves into a tizzy have gained momentum. What’s more, research tells us that multitasking can actually make us less productive, and that “monotasking” is much better for our health and productivity .

The trouble with multitasking

Simply put, multitasking is when we attempt to do more than one thing at a time. The problem is that our brains aren’t wired to tackle tasks this way.

All that 'task switching' comes at a cost. It overloads our brains and causes a significant amount of stress.

Thatcher Wine

“What we’re actually doing when we try to multitask is ‘task switching,’” said Thatcher Wine, author of " The Twelve Monotasks: Do One Thing at a Time to Do Everything Better ." " All that task switching comes at a cost. It overloads our brains and causes a significant amount of stress. [Additionally], studies have shown that tasks take longer and we make more mistakes than if we had done one thing at a time.”

For example, answering emails or texting while on Zoom can cause us to miss important details from a meeting or lead to unclear communications. This might even lead to more time spent later trying to clarify, understand or correct. Even switching back and forth from one task to another can create cognitive fatigue, causing us to become more burnt out and less productive over the course of the day. 

In some cases, multitasking can impact important relationships. For instance, watching TV during a family dinner or scrolling through social media when out with a friend causes us to miss out on prime opportunities to connect with loved ones.

“We only have so much time to spend paying attention to anything in a given day,” said Dr. David Rabin , PhD, a neuroscientist, board-certified psychiatrist and founder of  Apollo Neuroscience . “If we spend that precious time paying attention to things that aren’t serving us — such as distractions — then we are limiting the amount of time we have left to spend paying attention to things that we are actually trying to get done and the things that are serving us.”

Some signs that multitasking is working against you:

• You struggle to pay attention to the task at hand.
• You’re susceptible to distractions.
• You frequently make mistakes or misunderstand an assignment.
• You feel burnt out , especially as the day goes on.
• You often forget details from interactions.
• Your interactions with others don’t feel as meaningful.
• Others sometimes ask for your attention.

RELATED: 8 best brain foods to improve your focus and memory

How to become a skilled monotasker

We’re not born knowing how to concentrate. Being able to focus attentively is a learned skill that improves the more we practice.

“Monotasking is all about doing one thing at a time with your full attention, completing the task, then moving on to something else,” says Wine. “The key is that you bring your attention to one thing — such as a conversation, a task for your work or even your exercise or commute — and resist the urge to switch back and forth with other tasks.” 

Doing this might feel a bit foreign at first, especially if you’re a chronic multitasker. Be gentle on yourself, as it takes time to hone the craft. A prime example is a surgeon, who needs to stay completely focused for many hours. Many likely aren’t able to achieve this level of deep focus at first, but with time it becomes more natural.

Ways to improve your focus:

• Turn phone notifications off or put your plane in airplane mode.
• Keep your phone in another room or in your bag when spending time with others.
• Close your email window.
• Change your Slack status to “focusing” and pause notifications.
• Schedule time for deep focus (put it on your calendar, if necessary).
• Set a time limit for how long you want to focus on a task and work through the set period of time.
• Identify other common distractions and remove/mitigate them as best as you can.

Some additional ways you can exercise your monotasking muscle is through meditation and mindfulness, yoga practice and intentional deep breathing. Remember, the more you monotask, the better you’ll be able to resist distractions and apply your focus to the tasks, conversations, and people that deserve your attention.

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Monotasking vs. Multitasking? Which Works

Monotasking vs. Multitasking?  In our super-busy lives, with most people digitally pulled in much of the time, it is easy to do several things at the same time, or multitasking, in efforts to save time. Doing more with less, right? But what about monotasking, or doing thing one-at-a-time?  Research found that we tend to switch activities every 3 mins during typical workday. Every 3 minutes you are onto something else.

Busyness, a modern day Badge of Honour?

So, every 3 minutes we are onto a different task, again in the interest of getting more done in less time. Great idea right?  It turns out that it ends up taking longer to get back to and complete the original task.  Not only that, but multitasking leads to higher stress levels, increased degrees of frustration, more likelihood of making mental errors, a persistent feeling of time pressure and general mental/emotional overload.

In contrast, a relaxed alert state is ideal, especially for performance. Athletes deliberately try to get into that type of state, to optimizing performance. This indicates that intentionally using mindfulness-type practices, tools and techniques will not only reduce stress and anxiety, it will also improve one’s productivity  while decreasing the chance of burnout. Win-win.

Tried it, Doesn’t Work For Me

Do you find yourself saying ‘Yeah, but I’ve tried that, and it doesn’t work” and/or “it failed”? We tend to be harsh and unjust on ourselves.  Consider persisting with some of these mindfulness tools, rather than dismissing them as unhelpful.  If you were learning to play piano, you’d give yourself time to practice and learn, prior to really seeing some of the results of your efforts. Same idea applies here.

Keep in mind that the practices of mindfulness are about connecting to one’s experiences in a different manner, adding to quality and characteristic of awareness.  The idea is to slow down and tune-in to different aspects and qualities of our experiences.

So, instead of getting trapped back into more (negative) thinking, ie., our lists, who to call etc., mindfulness practices are more about connecting, experiencing and relishing in experiences. A classic mindfulness breathing practice is fundamental throughout, but mindfulness behaviours may include things like deliberately listening to music rather than having in the background, or going for a run without music, savouring the outdoor experience, smelling a tomato before you cut it for tonight’s salad, or just standing in line at the grocery store without checking Facebook.

For some folks, this increase in awareness may come easily, and for others, not as easy. Be persistent and patient with the various mindfulness tools. It takes time to get good at these practices, behaviours and attitude, before seeing benefits. Furthermore, consistent practice can improve skills sets to accept how stuff goes and not have anything ‘stick’. Once you ‘get’ that you don’t have to have things ‘attach’ to you and create a negative experience.  Letting go is a major stress busting tool.

Consistency Matter A Lot

This is kinda where the rubber hits the road. Much like joining a gym, where to get physically fit, you follow a regular exercise routine. So, whereas exercising muscles, even muscles like attention ,  means that practically mindfulness requires a deliberate, dedicated effort.

Consider yourself and your experience as a work-in-progress, you are not going to get this right straight away, try to pay as much attention to your experiences as you can, because it keeps being worth it, every time you try.

George is the Clinical Director at Waypoint Counselling & Referral Centre. He has been a Registered Clinical Counsellor since 1991, working and teaching in a variety of counselling settings.

Waypoint counsellors are here to help when learning to deal with bad moods. Our office in downtown Victoria is a safe place to receive guidance and help make the best decisions to do with you life.

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Why monotasking is the new multitasking

Multitasking. Photo credit: Matthias Weinberger / Flickr

We know multi-tasking is bad for us: we just can’t stop doing it. No matter how many times we hear that multitasking causes heightened mental stress , ruins memory and concentration more than smoking pot , and is literally impossible for our brains to do , we still do it.

“As much as people would like to believe otherwise, humans have finite neural resources that are depleted every time we switch between tasks,” The New York Times reports. “That’s why you feel tired at the end of the day. You’ve used them all up.”

Multitasking is so pernicious because it doesn’t feel like a myth. As Psychology Today explains, “When you multitask ‘successfully,’ you activate the reward mechanism in your brain which releases dopamine, the happy hormone. This dopamine rush makes you feel so good that you believe you’re being effective and further encourages your multitasking habit.” At first, multitasking appears to give us an enormous hit of that rush, and “that’s why it’s so hard to stop multitasking,” Psychology Today says, “because you’ve conditioned your mind and body to feel that thrill.”

In reality, multitasking splits our focus and gives us a false sense of accomplishment, making us “suckers for irrelevancy,” as Stanford professor Clifford Nass put it in his 2009 study : “Everything distracts.” ABC News correspondent Dan Harris concurs, as he told us:

In addition to all those deterrents, Psychology Today reports that multitasking can also “make you overly optimistic which means your [sic] less careful about the work you do and more likely to make mistakes.” It also makes “the little information we do take in when we’re multitasking more difficult to remember at a later stage.” The Stanford research backs that up, with study co-author Eyal Ophir saying multitaskers “couldn’t help thinking about the task they weren’t doing. [They] are always drawing from all the information in front of them. They can’t keep things separate in their minds,” in a press release .

Those effects seem compounded in college students, since multitasking gave them lower GPAs according to this 2015 Iowa State University study. Neuroscientist and McGill University professor Daniel Levitin explains those myths to us here:

Given all this evidence, it’s high time all of us heed the research and embrace monotasking. Monotasking — also known as unitasking or “single tasking,” according to The Times — is not the same as mindfulness. Mindfulness cultivates awareness, a focus on the here and now. Monotasking is simply paying attention to, and completing, one task at a time.

If that sounds daunting to you, it can be. But don’t worry: you can take baby steps to retrain your brain and reclaim your focus. Buffer co-founder Leo Widrich did just that with these 3 simple steps:

• Opening one single browser tab at a time
• Brainstorming his daily tasks with a colleague the night before
• Changing where he worked at least once a day

All those changes allowed him to maximize his neural energy and processes in a way that not only got his work done, but got it done faster and better than it did when he was multitasking.

If those steps are difficult for you to do at work, focus on the two biggest attention-busters: email and text messages. Inc recommends, “establishing an e-mail checking schedule” to avoid the temptation to check it every time you get an alert.

“Commit yourself to checking emails only three times a day, (maybe when you get into work in the morning, at lunchtime, and before leaving work at the end of the day).” They also suggest you “turn off texting notifications and choose specific times to check your phone as well” in order to minimize distractions during work.

If social media is your biggest distraction, there are ways to fix that, too. “You can get apps which block your social media (and even your email) except for certain times of the day,” Psychology Today says. Here’s a list from Mashable to get you started.

Whatever you decide, “make sure that you also take breaks in your unitasking because that’s when your brain is at its most effective,” Psychology Today says. One of the best things you can do during that break to recharge is meditate. Again, mindfulness is not the same thing as unitasking, but because mindfulness helps you focus on the present, it increases your focusing abilities. Here’s Stanford neurosurgeon James Doty breaking down the process step by step:

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Science Says Monotasking -- Not Multitasking -- Is the Secret to Getting Things Done

Here are 8 ways to do it..

You may think you can do everything right now, but you can't--and you shouldn't. 

Many studies have shed light on the downside of multitasking --trying to juggle multiple tasks at one time. One often cited study from Stanford University found that people who multitask are more easily distracted , less productive, score lower on tests for recalling information , and make more errors.

The reason is quite simple: the brain is not designed to work on multiple initiatives at one time. So, instead of multitasking, you should focus on monotasking--where you focus on only one initiative at a time. This approach not only cuts down on silly mental errors, but can help unleash your creativity and production since you can funnel more attention and energy to the task at hand.

I admit it can be tough to monotask since we are bombarded everyday with so many distractions and interruptions, like e-mails, phone calls, social media notifications and breaking news! Plus, it seems that everything needs to be done as soon as possible.

But I have found that adopting more monotasking has made me more efficient (I don't have to work longer hours or at home), I make fewer mistakes, and I actually end up accomplishing more at the end of the work week.

How can you break the habit of multitasking? Much of it revolves around better time management and blocking distractions. I've found the following 8 strategies have helped me embrace more monotasking and keep me mindful of focusing only on the work I'm doing at any moment.

1. List your top two priorities for the day. 

Start by making a list of your top priorities. Then identify your top two priorities for the day and make sure you accomplish them above all else. Giving the most important tasks your brain's prime time will help you be more attentive. I am old school in how I do this--I still use Post-Its--but I star one to three items that have to get done that day. This way I know what I can de-prioritize and only get to it if I find myself with extra time.

2. Block time on your calendar.

Create defined times during the day to complete your top two priorities as well as check and respond to e-mails. I have time blocked on my calendar to get these things done. The important part about blocking time is respecting it. Just because that time is blocked on your calendar for your own work does not mean you can compromise it by meeting with someone else who is begging for your time. It needs to be sacred to you.

3. Use Slack to work with your team.

Slack has truly changed my life. It has eliminated a huge amount of back-and-forth emails that were distracting or created more work. With Slack, everyone is able to collaborate, and other people can take care of work that needs to be done without me getting involved. It also eliminates the "cc" emails because I can go into Slack anytime and check on the work getting done and provide my input where necessary.

4. Use software to block social media.

I typically turn off notifications on my computer so that I don't get distracted. Need help? There is software that can block out designated sites for a specific period of time, such as Anti-Social , Cold Turkey , and Freedom .

5. Stop instantly responding to messages.

Sometimes I put my phone where I can't see it, or turn off the ringer and set to "do not disturb." Just because someone reaches out to you doesn't require you to respond immediately (unless it's a family emergency).

6. Close your eyes for two minutes. 

If you lose focus or your mind wanders, set an alarm on your phone for two minutes and close your eyes. It will help settle you down and then the alarm will go off to let you know to get back to it.

7. Pace yourself by creating timed work and rest intervals.

Set a timer for five or 10 minutes and commit to focusing on your assignment for that amount of time. Afterwards, take a small break, like walking around or going outside for some fresh air, and then reset the timer for another five to 10 minutes. This back and forth between work and rest helps establish a rhythm where your brains knows when it's time to work and when it's time to rest.

8. Listen to music that energizes you or helps you focus.

Listening to classical music, nature sounds, or meditation music can help calm your mind and center your attention. For me, when I need to pick up my energy, I turn on rock, hip hop, or dance music to get my blood flowing and motivated to take on my next task.

In the fast-paced daily world of business, ping-ponging between tasks during the day has become the norm. But if you want to work better (and smarter) and see the results of your efforts then monotasking is the right approach. Remember it's not how much you do that matters, but rather how well you do it, and what you can actually say you accomplished at day's end.

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Multitasking vs. Single Tasking: Which is Really Best for Productivity?

• Multitasking is workplace jargon for trying to do multiple tasks at the same time rather than finishing them in order.
• Contrary to popular belief, multitasking doesn’t actually make us more productive. It only creates more stress and – sometimes – the “illusion” of productivity.
• Ultimately, single or “monotasking” is far superior to multitasking, especially when combined with frequent breaks and mindfulness exercises.

What is Multitasking?

Does multitasking actually make you more productive.

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Is It Better To Focus On Single-Tasking?

How to stop multitasking and focus.

Single-Tasking is Still the Best Approach

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1.29: Monotasking vs. Task Switching

by thetendingyear | Jul 16, 2018 | Productivity , Project Management , Time Management , Writing

My focus for July is   Intention .

I’ve been practicing new habits and perspectives so I can bolster intentions that align with my values. One of those values is my fascination with productivity. I love researching it, practicing it, and blogging about it, but sometimes I push myself a  little too hard   in the pursuit of productivity. If I am juggling too many tasks at once, even the fun tasks can feel like an imposition. When this happens, I experience blowback in the form of stress and overwhelm.

In my effort to broaden my productivity toolbox in a healthy and intentional way, I dedicated last week to researching and practicing  monotasking .

Monotasking vs. Multitasking

Before we talk about monotasking, let’s get one thing straight about its more widely known alternative: multitasking. 

When think we are multitasking, we are actually   task switching .

According to  Chris Bailey of  A Life of Productivity , “It’s impossible for our brains to focus on two tasks at once—it’s actually rapidly switching between them. Instead of channeling our complete focus and energy into one task, we spread it thin, which prevents us from diving deep into any one of our tasks.” When we think we are multitasking, we are repeatedly pulling our focus away from not only one task, but  two  of them! 

You might be thinking, “But I’m great at multitasking!” And if you are part of the  2.5% of the population who are “Supertaskers” —people who can efficiently and rapidly switch between two tasks—you may be right. But, in general, our brains are simply not wired to task switch. 

Verena von Pfetten writes in her wittily titled  New York Times  article, “ Read This Story Without Distraction (Can You?) ” that “[a]s much as people would like to believe otherwise, humans have finite neural resources that are depleted every time we switch between tasks….” So, if our attempts to task switch are actually distracting and depleting us, why do we still pursue it?

Short-Term & Long-Term Effects of Task Switching

Tim Elcore answers our question in “ The Unintended Consequences of Multi-Tasking ”: crossing things off of our to do list when we are task switching releases dopamine into our systems. Because of this, “[w]e tend to pursue more short-term tasks that give us this dopamine shot, and soon we’re caught up in quantity over quality.  We actually work harder, not smarter. And we don’t really focus. We assume we’re doing more and better, but in reality we trade in value for speed and volume .”

This weakened quality of output is particularly interesting, as most of my research on monotasking brought up the example of job applicants listing “multitasking” as a quality or skill on their resumes and in interviews. 

Although we might really want those checkmarks (and dopamine), task switching can have negative affects beyond our work output. According to  Drs. Cynthia Kubu and Andre Machado , “our tendency to divide our attention, rather than focus, is hampering our ability to perform even simple tasks,” such as attentiveness, learning, and mindfulness. Similarly, multitasking can  increase chronic stress, social anxiety, and depression .

Yikes. So How Do I Monotask?

I know it sounds easier than it feels, but in order to monotask you need only do one thing:

Focus your attention on just ONE task at a time. 

Thankfully, there are a number of suggestions out there on how we can begin building monotasking habits. Most of them come from the field of business, such as these two from  Herbert Lui’s “ Why successful people work on one thing at a time ”:

• Group tasks into themed days for batch processing 
• Schedule longer periods of uninterrupted time

However, some can be adapted for tasks outside of work, such as these two from  Julia Naughton’s “ Nine Ways To Single Task Because Really, It’s What Your Brain Craves” : 

• Reduce the number of apps, tabs and emails open on your phone or browser before midday
• Listen to a podcast from start to finish

The important thing to remember when starting a monotasking practice is to  start small. 

Some people like to go H.A.M. with new practices. If that’s you, go for it, but I’d suggest picking just one thing to monotask. Although I myself haven’t done it yet, I think that the   Note to Self   podcast’s   “infomagical” project   sounds like an amazing place to start. They identify one challenge each day for five days, with interesting assignments such as “Write a sentence articulating your personal rule/algorithm/filter parameters/mantra to live by. Consider this your note to self.” 

Interested in trying out monotasking? Check out these three exercises!

Personalize Your Method

Like all personal development practices, you should adapt your monotasking practice to fit   your own   lifestyle, needs, and values. For example, you might not be able to focus on a task while listening to music… or you may focus  better  if you’re listening to music. I fall into both camps depending on the music and the task at hand. 

You might be better at monotasking in the morning or in the evening. You might struggle to monotask if you are feeling anxious, whereas someone else may lean into monotasking as a way to cope with ovewhelm. What I’m trying to say here is: 

do not compare your own monotasking practices to others! Some people can more easily monotask due to their access to silence, uninterrupted time, or other privileges, and this does not meant that one way is better than another.

Keep it simple.

The biggest task switching culprit for me is technology. I’m much more likely to monotask if I write with a pen and notebook and read printed materials. If I have to use technology, I monotask better with the use of an internet blocker like   Freedom  and by putting my phone on silent. 

Before you start a monotasking session, check in with yourself about which tools will distract you from focusing on one task. If you need your laptop, can you use a tool like   Pomodoro   or a   90-Minute Session   to plan in breaks when you will allow yourself to check email and texts (or better yet, rest your body and drink some water)?

Be Creative With Your Monotasking 

I committed to monotasking my   perspective   one day last week by using gratitude as a theme. I had been experiencing some higher pain days, so I wanted to experiment with focusing my emotions on something positive. When I started to feel nervous or stressed, I reminded myself to check in with what I was grateful for: the sunlight on my face, being in love, how cute my dog is and how people smile at her when we walk by, etc. While this didn’t completely prevent me from feeling sad when my pain spiked later that day, it   did   help me to remember that I could control my perspective even if I could not control my pain. Ultimately, it was easier for me to relax and   get out of black and white thinking . 

If you’re interested in this, try picking a theme or mantra to repeat to yourself throughout just one day to help “monotask” your perspective by aligning it on one track. Be creative! 

*Please note that the original version of this blog post was published here . 

This blog is not affiliated with, associated with, or endorsed by the Pomodoro Technique® or Francesco Cirillo.

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Monotasking vs. Multitasking: Which Approach Is More Efficient and Why? (Essay Sample)

This paper analyzes two educational approaches: Monotasking and Multitasking to conclude Which Approach Is More Efficient and Why.

Monotasking vs. Multitasking: Which Approach Is More Efficient and Why? Name of the Student The University/College Monotasking vs. Multitasking: Which Approach Is More Efficient and Why? Nowadays, modern people tend to complete many various tasks simultaneously and achieve the highest productivity. With such phenomena, work-life balance is essential to stay effective in any endeavor. Contemporary studies in sociology, education, and psychology highlight two primary approaches to completing the required tasks. Firstly, monotasking means attending to only one assignment at the same time (Spall, 2020), while multitasking refers to doing two or more activities concurrently (Cherry, 2020). Monotasking is more efficient than multitasking as it ensures concentration, which is a critical component of successful and productive activity. Both monotasking and multitasking present their benefits. Taft (2017) argues that those who monotask are less prone to distraction and have higher chances for success. Additionally, monotasking is significantly associated with better health. On the other hand, Cummings (2018) suggests that multitasking provides many advantages, such as significant time-saving and a lower likelihood of procrastination. Despite having their unique benefits, empirical studies confirm that monotasking is a more efficient approach (Vetter, 2018). For instance, recent investigations by American Psychological Association (2012) show that females who have a higher predisposition to multitask than males reported higher stress levels. Figure 1. Multitasking Ability by Gender (Stoet, O’Connor, Conner, & Laws, 2013) Conclusively, monotasking is the more efficient approach because it allows an individual to maintain a high level of focus, leading to better work quality. Furthermore, monotasking can become an appropriate instrument to achieve a work-life balance. On the other hand, multitasking can also be advantageous, especially in the circumstances of limited time and financial resources. However, multitasking could lead to some adverse consequences, including low memory retention, unproductivity, and distraction. Such findings entail many practical implications for people's day-to-day life, especially as regards work and study. When considering sustainability, monotasking appears to be a more efficient concept because it guarantees quality work outcomes while lowering the risk of burnout.

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Multi vs. Monotasking

• In Productivity , Videos

The biggest complaint that students today have is that they simply do not have enough time to get everything done.

Now more than ever is the time that students must learn the crucial skill of multitasking: specifically, efficient multitasking.

In today’s video, Scott lays out the basics of when it’s a GOOD idea to multitasking and when your student should probably stick with mono-tasking.

Video runtime: 6 minutes 31 seconds

Don’t Miss These Points…

• Is multitasking good or evil? (1:10)
• Using the Pomodoro Technique to mono-task (3:30)
• Why is mono-tasking often better than multitasking? (4:33)

“25 minutes is the optimal timeframe for your brain to give 100% sprinting effort before needing a break. So set a timer and go!”

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Multitasking vs. Monotasking: Which one is better?

• Author Laura Navarro
• Published June 5, 2021

To be or not to be, that is the question: to succumb to the pace of this fast world, or take the time to do one thing at a time… it might be a little dramatic to state these modalities of work as a dilemma, but at times, choosing one looks like it. The question we are asking today is Multitasking vs. Monotasking , which one should we practice daily?

We are in a very fast era, loaded with information that pops up everywhere and all the time in our faces; it’s only natural for us to try to make as much as we can with the time we have, and for a long time, multitasking looked like the perfect option for that. 

Nonetheless, as the world speeds up, practices that try to help you decelerate, like yoga or mindfulness, are becoming stronger and highly demanded. So, it was very likely that soon some researchers would start looking at the occupational sphere and question the fast and stressful methods that are very popular, like multitasking.

Sometimes it looks like it is a matter of personal interests if you are into Formula 1 you are a multitasker and if you like nature and coloring books you are bound to monotasking; but truth be told, this goes beyond personality traits and into what is best for you, your health and your work. Why don’t we get a look into both sides of the coin?

Multitasking: Pros

Some people take pride in their ability to manage many things at once. They can have a business call while cooking dinner and watching the kids, which makes them superior in a way. It comes in handy on some occasions, but rather than making them better, it can improve their creativity.

Research  from the University of North Carolina showed that students who multitasked produced ideas that were coded as more creative.

And after establishing the link between multitasking and creativity, they asked themselves “Why does this happen?” And found that it is because multitasking causes a higher demand for cognitive resources like selective attention and working memory, therefore it activates more of the brain so the demands could be fulfilled, and this involves cognitive flexibility, so we can use that extra energy in many ways.

The activation and cognitive flexibility assessments also showed that those two mental states led to greater creativity.

And well… cognitive flexibility makes sense because when you are multitasking you have to switch your attention from task to task, as well as the brain’s increase on activation, since you’d perform different tasks at once you have to put different skills to use. 

In the previous example, you’d have to talk and process what the client says on the phone while cutting some vegetables, without getting either injured or losing sight of the kids. Your brain has to move your hands, phonate your words, process the auditive stimuli that are being inputted, and think of an answer, all while looking up to check on the kids every once in a while. It’s only natural to be creative when you have to come up with a way to do everything simultaneously and successfully.

And even though it’s been proven otherwise, you’d have to admit that multitasking gives you the illusion of saving time and therefore being more productive.

Multitasking: Cons

Let’s get real here… by doing too many things, you might start spreading too thin. You are not giving your full attention to any task and that can be counterproductive.  One study  in 2016 found that a two or three-second interruption of one task with another can double your mistakes, so by multitasking you might decrease the quality of your results .

When you are busy trying to do everything at once, you have no time to prioritize, you do the tasks as they come, which leads to the difficulty of disregarding irrelevant information, so you might end up doing unimportant tasks before urgent ones. Even though multitaskers’ working memory is very active, retaining information becomes hard for the, since some details get lost when switching tasks.

Humans are creatures of habit, and multitasking makes us distract ourselves from a task to handle another, so, as Verena von Pfetten  writes in The New York Times , by allowing this, we increase our brain’s need for distraction, our need for switching from one thing to another.

To be able to manage many tasks at once, we have to be alert, and even though a little stress is healthy, an excess of cortisol could cause some severe health issues, like insomnia or chronic stress. We also have an article on multitasking, so  click here  if you would like to check it out.

How can you do it efficiently? By selecting a task that could be multitasked and does not require that much attention to detail, also taking time off, and avoiding burn-out, balance is crucial.

Monotasking: Pros

Monotasking  conserves your energy  by eliminating the distracting action of switching back and forth between tasks — since you don’t have to do the work of constantly refocusing on different tasks, those foggy seconds where your brain starts reloading to get back on track with the new task are gone, not only saving energy but also time. 

It also produces a better quality of work, since you can fully concentrate on what you are doing, making avoiding errors easier.

By doing one thing at a time you can also practice your ability to prioritize, it is as simple as taking five minutes before starting to work and picking the most important tasks to get done so you can tackle them first.

When you are fully present in one activity you can give yourself the chance to enjoy the process, get to understand what you are doing better, and see the beauty in it while promoting self-discipline , because distractions are everywhere, and ignoring them to complete your task is a very arduous achievement. So, this also strengthens your focus, helping you maintain your attention on one thing only.

By doing less, you can achieve more; sounds weird, doesn’t it? But it is only because we are too used to overworking ourselves. When you are doing one thing, being as present as you can be, you will likely finish faster, therefore having time to address more tasks and being able to complete them in the best way possible, without that much stress from trying to do everything at once.

Monotasking: Cons

Monotasking is hard to achieve… concentrating only on one thing can be a challenge. The brain  doesn’t quite know how  to do it, and if you think about it, it is never doing just one thing — to talk, many systems are coming together, like the respiratory system filling your lungs and the diaphragm helping you get that air through your vocal cords so they vibrate while your mouth articulates the phonemes that match the word you thought to say.

Monotasking surely requires lots of self-discipline, keeping yourself from distractions; and without a clear plan of action, a lot of time can be wasted. And let’s not forget to mention that today’s world is not exactly built for that yet. We adapted to make multitasking the way to go, and now we have to readapt to monotask again.

How to do it efficiently? Block distractions, there probably are no messages that can’t wait 30 min to be responded to, if you have an important call schedule it, but try accumulating the distractions every half hour, so you’ll have 30 min of complete focus and a moment to check your messages, look for a glass of water and such. Find a middle ground organize it, and make it comfortable for you.

So… which one is better?

Honestly, it’s up to you. Everyone’s needs are different, and the best we can do is to know ourselves so we can decide what is best for us and what we need to do. Balance is key, and complementing both ways of work depending on the situation may be an option for you, but maybe not. So, why don’t you let us know what works best for you?

See more articles by Laura Navarro .

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Monotasking Vs Multitasking By Dr Aditi Govitrikar

• September 30, 2020 Last Updated On: June 11, 2024
• 1 minute read

Welcome to the Activ Living Podcast. In this podcast, Dr Aditi Govitrikar talks about the importance of monotasking vs multitasking.

What is monotasking vs multitasking?

When you multitask, you overburden your brain with switching from one task to another. This reduces focus and can actually slow down progress. Monotasking means doing only one task at a time. When you monotask, you are able to focus better on each task and can get things done more efficiently. You could even get more done in a day.

“The shorter way to do many things is to only do one thing at a time.” – Mozart.

To monotask effectively, decide on two tasks that have to get done on that day and focus on finishing those first. If there is a task that you don’t enjoy but you have to do, put that on the top of your list. Once you get that out of the way, the other task becomes much easier to do. To help your mind get ready for your next task, take a break and have a change of scene by meditating ,  taking a walk, or looking out of the window.

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