Multitasking isn't a strength – here's how it may harm your brain

Are you one of those who, like many others, takes pride in texting during meetings, talking on the phone while driving, or folding laundry while watching television – and considers it a superhuman ability?

That may not actually be true. Multitasking, or the practice of splitting attention between activities to increase efficiency, is often associated with roles that require rapid context switching. But in reality, it may be quietly draining your brain.

In an interview with India Today, Kumar Bagrodia, founder of NeuroLeap, an applied neuroscience company, explained that what many people call multitasking is actually constant task-switching. This process burns energy, weakens focus, and trains the mind toward distraction – raising the risk of burnout, anxiety, and shrinking attention spans.

According to Bagrodia, multitasking is a loosely used term that has gained popularity over the past few decades. From a neuroscientific perspective, it is better understood as task switching – moving from one activity to another and then back again.

“Every time you switch, the brain has to momentarily let go of the context of task A and grasp the context of task B. When it switches again, it repeats the process. In effect, with every switch, the brain is expending extra energy,” he said.

Each switch forces the brain to drop one context and pick up another, consuming significant mental energy. Despite making up only about 2 percent of body weight, the brain uses roughly a third of the body’s energy and remains active even during sleep. Constant task-switching only adds to this demand unnecessarily.

NOT A STRENGTH

More importantly, habitual multitasking trains the brain to operate in a state of partial attention, gradually weakening concentration and the ability to focus deeply.

Many people mistakenly see multitasking as a strength, but the reality is that success often happens despite it, not because of it. Continuing this pattern can lead to burnout, restlessness, and anxiety, Bagrodia said.

What he emphasises aligns with a widely accepted concept in neuroscience. In his book Your Stone Age Brain in the Screen Age: Coping with Digital Distraction and Sensory Overload, American neurologist Richard Cytowic explores the downsides of so-called multitasking.

“We lack the energy to do two things at once effectively, let alone three or five. Try it, and you will do each task less well than if you had given each one your full attention and executed them sequentially,” Cytowic wrote.

Citing an experiment by a Stanford University scientist, Cytowic also noted that multitaskers struggle to ignore irrelevant information, organise what they hold in their minds, and switch effectively between tasks.

ROOTS IN EVOLUTION

From an evolutionary perspective, the brain is wired for focused, single-task engagement – such as uninterrupted conversations or deep, sustained work. Modern habits of juggling multiple inputs run counter to this natural design, leading to inefficiency and mental strain.

Bagrodia pointed out that the anatomy of the human brain has not changed significantly over centuries and is not built to handle frequent task-switching efficiently.

Studies over the decades have shown that people perform better and complete tasks faster when they focus on one activity at a time without interruptions, compared to when they constantly juggle multiple tasks.

The effects of trying to do too much at once are not limited to productivity. Scientific evidence shows that multitasking can temporarily increase stress levels, raising blood pressure and heart rate, while also contributing to long-term issues such as anxiety and depression.

While some of these effects may be temporary, chronically elevated stress and blood pressure can have lasting consequences. Over time, they may increase the risk of cerebrovascular disease and cognitive impairment.

MINIMISE THE DAMAGE

For these reasons, neuroscientists emphasise reducing task-switching and focusing on one activity at a time. One practical approach is to work on a single task for at least 20 minutes before moving on to another.

It also helps to schedule specific times to check emails instead of monitoring them throughout the day. Limiting distractions – such as turning off notifications – can improve focus, as can choosing a quiet workspace with minimal interruptions.

Decluttering your workspace and practising mindfulness, paying full attention to the task at hand, can also make a difference. These habits help you become more aware of when you are multitasking, allowing you to consciously avoid it.