Stop Multitasking: How Single-Tasking Protects Your Focus

What "switching costs" are

When you shift from one task to another, your brain has to change goals and activate new rules. APA describes the resulting delay as a switching cost. Each one may be only a few tenths of a second, but they add up when you switch back and forth repeatedly.

APA cites researcher David Meyer's estimate that the mental blocks created by shifting between tasks can cost as much as 40% of someone's productive time. Costs tend to be larger for complex or unfamiliar tasks.

Single-tasking habits to try

• Choose one task for the next block of time and close what you do not need for it.
• Batch small jobs (messages, email) into set times instead of checking constantly.
• Before switching, take one slow breath and decide deliberately: finish, pause, or switch.
• At the end of the day, notice what you completed — NIMH suggests appreciating what you accomplished and deciding what can wait.

A note on safety

• This guide is general wellness education, not medical or mental-health advice, and it is not a substitute for care from a qualified professional.
• If stress or anxiety keeps interfering with daily life or will not go away, talk to a health care provider. Psychotherapy and medication are the two main treatments for anxiety (NIMH).
• If you are in immediate distress or thinking about hurting yourself, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (U.S.). In a life-threatening emergency, call 911.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Multitasking: Switching costs — American Psychological Association
• Caring for Your Mental Health — National Institute of Mental Health