Once in a class, the leader asked us to see how many things we could do at once. He listed things like noticing what others were doing, paying attention to what was happening outside, recalling a memory, etc. Some participants said they could only do one or two things at a time. I believed I was efficient at multitasking and could handle multiple things simultaneously.

Managers tell me they can attend my class, work on their long list of emails and texts, handle crises as they emerge, and attend several meetings at once. We begin to think that multitasking should be the norm or we are not being productive.

We are now learning that multitasking is not good for us. Not only does it limit performance, but it could also affect how our brains work. Stanford University research finds that multitasking is less productive than doing a single thing at a time. This counterintuitive discovery challenges our belief in the efficiency of multitasking. They found that people regularly bombarded with several forms of electronic information cannot pay attention, recall information, or switch from one task to another as quickly as those who complete one task at a time.

The study found that people who believe they are adept at multitasking, as I once did, are actually performing less effectively than those who do a single task at a time. The truth is that multitaskers are slower at switching tasks than they realize. Our brains can only focus on one thing at a time, and it takes a significant amount of energy to continually switch tasks. The research even suggests that multitasking can lower our IQ, a sobering fact that should make us reconsider our habits.

Personally, I’ve embarked on a journey of being fully present in what I’m working on and letting go of the myth of multitasking. This personal experiment has been enlightening, and I encourage you to share your experiences. I notice that I am more present in what I am doing. I feel more focused and less in a striving mode. I may be getting more done with more enjoyment. See what you experience.