Multitasking sounds efficient, but most of the time it is rapid task switching. Each switch requires your brain to reload context.
That reload creates a small delay and increases error rates. Over a day, the costs accumulate into fatigue.
Batching is the alternative
A better approach is batching. Group similar tasks together and handle them in one block: messages, admin, creative work, errands.
If you must juggle, protect one “deep” block each day—30 to 60 minutes without notifications—to do the work that moves things forward.
Reduce switching friction
Make the next action obvious. When you finish one task, write the first step for the next. It reduces switching friction.
The goal is not rigid monotasking. It is reducing unnecessary switching so your attention feels like a tool, not a leak.