The Multitasking Myth

Why your brain can't actually multitask

Here's the uncomfortable truth: you cannot actually do two cognitive tasks at once. What feels like multitasking is your brain rapidly toggling between tasks, and paying a cost every time it switches. Studies consistently find that people who describe themselves as skilled multitaskers are often the worst at it. Heavy multitaskers are worse at filtering irrelevant information, worse at switching efficiently, and more prone to distraction than people who focus on one thing at a time.