Monotasking for Success: My Journey to Finally Ditching Multitasking

It’s time to prioritize clarity over chaos.

The early days after the new year always started out strong. 2024 was the same for me, full of possibilities for success — or so I thought. I drafted a list of New Year’s resolutions and created a vision board that promised to turn into the best year of my life.

Looking back, it was a recipe for disaster. For utter chaos. From start to finish.

It did not even take a month for me to realize that I was going to achieve 0% of my resolutions this way and one of the biggest reasons: multitasking.

If multitasking is even the right word. According to Dr. Susan Weinschenk, what really happens is task-switching, not multitasking, and it takes more time to switch tasks than stick with them until it is finished.

Tough pill to swallow but it’s science.

A Side Note

I admit that my approach has more holes in it than just multitasking. But this is step 1.

When deciding my resolutions for the year, I prepared a list that covered:

• fitness goals
• financial goals
• personal development goals
• social goals
• spiritual goals
• and a bunch more

Yes, I am overly ambitious. Yes, I am biting off more than I can chew. I like to set crazy targets for myself, not because I think I can reach the specific number but because I know, in my attempt to reach that specific number, I will do more than nothing. Anyway, that’s a story for another day.

Multitasking: Friend or Foe?

When it came to the goals I aimed to achieve, the harsh truth hit me pretty early into the new year: None of these goals would come true when I am trying to do 2 or 3 things at the same time.

Multitasking reduces your productivity by 40%, according to studies.

Every day, it was the same. I would attempt to juggle writing a new blog with the TV playing — supposedly, in the background — while also getting sidetracked by notifications or a phone call. The outcome? I ended up accomplishing nothing.

So, I reached a point where I was ready to stop being in denial and acknowledge that multitasking was hindering, not helping, my progress. My approach needed a revision.

So, I thought: why not try monotasking?

Monotasking: Benefits and Things I’ve Learned

Monotasking or solo tasking is self-explanatory — do ONE THING at a time. There’s no complex recipe or instructions to follow. Just put your efforts into one thing until you’re done.

If you’re going to watch a series, do that only.

If you’re going to write an article, do that only.

If you’re going to talk to a friend, do that only.

The average human has an attention span of just 8.25 seconds, less than that of a goldfish.

Our attention span is an absolute mess and this new practice has opened my eyes to a number of benefits and considerations:

1. Life Tastes Different

• Multitasking sucked the joy out of the little things that used to make me happy: watching a few episodes of a series, catching up with a friend or family or indulging in a shopping spree. It prevented me from savoring a movie or fully enjoying my 15-minute break.
• On the other hand, monotasking surprisingly liberated me from the strain of juggling multiple tasks simultaneously. It forced me to concentrate on the task at hand and appreciate its intricacies and nuances.

2. Better Quality All Around

• While my resolutions looked impressive on paper, the pursuit of quantity and getting as much as possible done in a shorter time led to more multitasking. This took a toll on the quality and focus of my efforts.
• By focusing on one thing, I’ve noticed better concentration, increased attention to detail and a higher level of creativity. Embracing monotasking has shown me a noticeable improvement in the quality of my work. Such is the importance of channeling energy into each task and celebrating singular achievements.

One accomplishment or task checked off my list is 1+ than I would have had yesterday, when multitasking for the sake of maximum productivity.

3. Lower Chance of Procrastination

• When I decided to pause the TV show playing in my background, a task I’d procrastinated for over 20 days was completed in under 20 minutes. I didn’t expect to finish a blog that fast in one sitting, but I did and this is the power of monotasking.

Final Thoughts

If you find yourself juggling numerous things at the same time and aiming for superhero-level productivity, consider monotasking for a change.

Give it a shot for just one week — challenge yourself and resist the urge to multitask. Take a moment to finish what’s in front of you before moving on. You might be pleasantly surprised by the productivity, focus and quality of your work.