The Workplace Chameleon with Dr. Celina
This podcast is about the changing organization and our relationship to it -- how we enter, thrive and exit. Each episode is meant to be thoughtful, funny, and applicable. Stories, insight, and "words to say" come from Dr. Celina's experience with over two and a half decades of listening, learning from and leading conversations in hundreds of companies. Each episode will explore a new theme about life arriving in, interacting with and leaving the workplace.
The Workplace Chameleon with Dr. Celina
Episode 87: Myth of Multitasking
If multitasking really worked, we’d be caught up on email, folding laundry, and finishing a podcast all at the same time. But in reality, multitasking isn’t doing two things at once—it’s rapid task-switching. And every switch comes with a cost.
In this episode of The Workplace Chameleon, Dr. Celina Peerman unpacks why the myth of multitasking persists and what it’s really costing leaders, teams, and organizations. From the illusion of productivity to cultural pressure to “always be on,” Dr. Celina explores why so many of us fall for multitasking and why it leaves us drained, error-prone, and spinning in shallow work.
Welcome to the Workplace Chameleon. This is Dr Selina. Thanks for taking some time with me. This episode called the Myth of Multitasking is about one of my favorite topics. I want you to consider today why splitting your attention costs more than it saves. If you haven't checked it out yet, I have a book out called 39 Squirrels, really inspired by the fact that at any given point in my day, I have 300 squirrels running in my brain, and I narrowed it down to 39 of them in a book to share some insights with you about how we need to switch less, finish more, and there is a cost of switching. I tie these back to the fun image of squirrels, but certainly there are lots of ways you could describe it here at the Workplace Chameleon, this is the place we try to sharpen, focus, protect priorities and align with what matters most people and it's with and through people that we drive organizational results. I also believe if multitasking really worked, I'd be done with my inbox, my laundry and this podcast all at the same time, but only one of those is happening right now Multitasking feels productive right. Have you had that moment where you got this going and that going, and this going and that going, and whoo. It feels good, but the reality is it's mental task switching. So I move from this squirrel to that squirrel to that squirrel and back. And while it may feel productive, switching is expensive. When was the last time you tried to do two things at once and both took longer than they should have? Consider for a moment why multitasking is a myth.
Speaker 1:Multitasking has currently been defined as doing more than one thing at a time. It's inaccurate. When you look at the brain research, it is rapidly switching between them. You're not really doing two things at the same time and every switch costs focus, momentum and accuracy. Now you may be sitting at your computer and you're in deep work trying to get something done and that email notification or instant message notification pops up on your computer and you look at it and you go, oh, I'll just take care of this right now. When you do that, the cost is focus, momentum and accuracy. You just gave that priority over anything else that you were working on. Now, of course, in that moment you needed to decide which gets your attention. Research on that switching really looks at the fact that it's like stopping every 100 yards on a run to tie your shoes. You never hit your stride.
Speaker 1:There are a variety of researchers and authors there that talk about. There's deeper work that requires your all-consuming focus, and that's the work that needs you mentally present all the way through. There are a couple of stats that I pay attention to, and one of them is on average, when you're in deep thinking work and you get interrupted, it's going to take you over 20 minutes to get back to the level of productivity you were at before you got interrupted. You might say to me Selena, we're talking about multitasking. I can do both of those at the same time. No, we try, but when we split our attention, we're not getting any of it done. Well, I'll call and it's a cheesy phrase, tasky, tasky, like get that done, get that done, get that done, get that done, and it feels super productive. But there are some points of activities and tasks and work where you can just zing those out pretty darn quick because they don't take deeper cognitive focus.
Speaker 1:One of the things that I see with us at work right, we respond to an email when we're supposed to be on a Zoom call. We're checking our phone during a meeting. We're listening. Okay, can you see my air quotes? I'm doing air quotes while drafting another document.
Speaker 1:We fall for this illusion of productivity. Busy does not equal productive and, by the way, we live in a world right now of instant gratification because that quick hit of dopamine from switching to something easier or more interesting feels good. We also have some cultural pressure because fast equals good in many places, even if it sacrifices depth and, quite frankly, fear of missing out, constantly checking messages just in case. Have you refreshed a screen even though you know you were just on that app? Or you shut the app, went to another one and then went right back, even though it's been like 10 seconds, just in case? In our work, I want us to name the true cost of switching Loss of depth.
Speaker 1:Shallow thinking replaces deep problem solving, which then creates a whole new set of issues on our teams. When we switch, errors increase as a result. Details get missed, time expands, no-transcript. Consider this. Imagine trying to train a new puppy, bake bread and have a deep conversation all at once. You'll end up with a half-trained puppy, burnt bread I can attest to that and a confused friend. The workplace is no different.
Speaker 1:So what are some strategies we can use to focus on one thing at a time? Now, if you're a recovering multitasker. That may be really hard. Here's what I've noticed and again, remember I shared with you 300 squirrels in my brain at any given point in time, but for me to single task there is some relief. Now there are some things I can knock out one after the other, but that's speed, not deep thinking. When you can batch tasks like group similar work, a couple of phone calls and you just need to knock them out, I find that my personal life that list of things I'm supposed to go set appointments for and follow up on and check on If I can just knock those out in a row, I do way better than one here and one there or working through your email inbox and be able to take those tasky tasky somethings. Knock out a few of those emails that don't require deep thinking.
Speaker 1:But when we hop in between types of tasks, our focus gets stretched. What could you knock out and just do better with, because you're not switching in between? For a long time we've used the recommendation of time blocking. Protect deep work time on your calendar. You need some think time. Sometimes your work or projects or activities just take more thought and that thought doesn't have to just be your brain time. But you're doing something. Maybe it's a report, maybe it's a detailed process, but it takes a deeper level of cognition, which is this knowing piece of our brain, our thinking parts. Even 15 to 20 minutes without interruption, you're going to get deeper. Sometimes bigger things take hours, yes, but again, if you get interrupted during something that takes that deeper thinking time, it's going to take you longer to get back in that flow.
Speaker 1:I do like micro goals. They help me manage my squirrels. Finish one small piece fully Okay, fully Before moving on. I sometimes have to stop myself like you have not finished, that you may not move on. Are there some visual anchors you could put on your desk or your workstation as a reminder? I have one. It says one thing at a time. I just always do better, and the brain research supports this. So it's not just according to Dr Selina, with 300 squirrels. I note some of this in the book called 39 Squirrels, but teach your team phrases like let's finish this before we start that.
Speaker 1:Here are a couple of reflection questions that you may find helpful or you can share with people around you. Where in our day are we most likely to multitask? What's one type of work we can protect from interruptions. How can we help each other focus on one thing at a time? Maybe you can come up with a code word with a coworker of yours that when you need to go in and fully concentrate on something, even for 15 minutes, can you say something to them? So they just got you, they're going to cover because when they need deep thinking time, you've got them. Remember, multitasking feels faster but it's really a slow leak on your focus and energy.
Speaker 1:On your focus and energy, a possible call to action could be today pick one block of time 20 minutes an hour and give it to one task, no switching, to see how much better it feels to finish it instead of juggling. I'm finding that when I take the time away, my brain just gets a little bit different kind of rest. My brain just gets a little bit different kind of rest and, quite frankly, when the words I hear from so many of you in my day-to-day work with companies includes the word exhausted, I think we need as much break, even for a few minutes, getting some bandwidth back in our brains when it's juggling less and focused more. I think we're going to do some great things together. Thanks for joining me on the Workplace Chameleon Again. If today's episode made you think, share it with a colleague. Or you can always say I have an assignment from Dr Selena. Send it to your boss and say I told you so. Lead with intention, protect your energy and please keep learning something new today.
