Multitasking has been considered a good skill to have in modern workplaces. Many times, it is highlighted in resumes and managers praise the skill. But, is it really a productive skill? In fact, multitasking is one of those habits that quietly impacts individual and organizational productivity.
The human brain is not built to handle high-focus tasks at the exact same time. Each switch forces it to pause, reset, and pick up where it left off. This means more mistakes, more missed details, and more time wasted.
When most of us multitask, we are task-switching and moving back and forth between assignments which can lead to burnout. It does not boost productivity; instead, it impacts your concentration and increases your error rate.
Multitasking keeps you busy, but are you really being productive?
When people multitask, they appear busy. But there is a huge difference between looking occupied and actually making progress. When you spend all day switching between meetings, emails, and projects—you may seem busy, but never really finish anything.
Multitasking sidelines important tasks since you will always be reacting to the next interruption. As a result, high-priority work easily gets sidelined. Say you’re working on a key report, but you keep getting distracted to answer “urgent” messages. Each time, you lose momentum, which impacts the quality of work. The result is you end up spending more time at work, but the measurable progress becomes less. You may also start missing deadlines.
There’s a human cost also involved. When you constantly switch between tasks, it drains your energy and builds stress. It impacts your concentration, engagement, and creativity. This leads to burnout and lower job satisfaction. When everyone’s half-listening and half-working, you lose the depth and quality that set top performers and companies apart.
So, when you are multitasking, are you really delivering value? True productivity comes from focused effort. With multitasking, individuals often report feeling overwhelmed and less engaged.
It is not just individual performance that is at risk. Multitasking negatively affects teams, too. Good communication means paying attention—something that’s tough to do when half your attention is somewhere else. If people are answering emails during meetings, they’re missing key information, and sooner or later, important details will be missed. This leads to mixed messages, repeated work, and slow decision-making. Team collaboration gets affected, leading to poor outcomes.
The solution
When individuals multitask, it is a drain on productivity. So, what’s the solution? Encourage employees to take up only the tasks they can handle within the assigned time, giving each task their full attention. Create opportunities for focused work by taking steps such as reducing unnecessary meetings or discouraging excessive use of social media. This will reduce distractions and errors and improve the quality of output. Instead of ending up with several half- finished tasks in a day, employees will be completing what actually matters, and also do it well.
Leadership must ensure that employees are assigned tasks they can confidently deliver and are provided with the resources needed to execute them effectively. This is essential for employee well-being and retention. Encourage them to stay committed to the assigned tasks so that quality is not compromised and they add value.
Final thoughts
Multitasking is not the best idea to maximize employee productivity. Give yourself and your team the permission to focus on what matters. Encourage handling tasks one at a time. This will build engagement, drive results, and allow you to outperform the competition. However, unlearning multitasking won’t happen overnight. It’s a habit that takes effort to break. Leadership must proactively encourage employees to focus on what they can handle best. The result is better work, lower stress, and a team that’s actually present and engaged, and better outcomes.
Frequently asked questions
Is multitasking really harmful to productivity?
Yes, in reality, multitasking reduces productivity. When you multitask, your brain switches back and forth between tasks. This will lead to wastage of time, increased stress, and more mistakes.
What happens in the brain when we multitask?
When you multitask, your brain engages in context switching. It actually does not execute the tasks simultaneously; rather, it rapidly switches between the tasks and loses focus. This causes mental slowdown which reduces efficiency and increases errors.
How does multitasking affect teams?
For collaboration within a team, presence is essential, not divided attention. Multitasking reduces active listening within the team. This will lead to lack of clarity among team members on the tasks and objectives. There can also be an increase in misunderstandings.
