Do You Actually Multitask? (Spoiler: Your Brain Hates It)

One afternoon, I was trying to write a history essay, reply to DMs, and eat Maggi at the same time. Spotify was playing in the background, and my phone kept lighting up with Instagram notifications. I felt like a productivity queen. But three hours later… the essay was a mess, my Maggi was cold, and somehow, I’d ended up deep in a rabbit hole of dog videos.

That is when I learned: multitasking is a scam.

It feels like you are doing a lot, but really, you are just switching between tasks quickly and badly.

Psychologists call this “task-switching,” and our brains are not wired for it. When you jump from your math homework to texting your friend to checking a notification, your brain has to shift attention every time. It’s like trying to watch three Netflix shows at once- you miss key moments in all of them.

A famous psychology study showed that multitasking can reduce productivity by up to 40%. That’s huge. Especially for us Gen Z kids who grew up thinking “doing it all” at once was the goal. But here is the catch: just because we are used to multitasking does not mean we are good at it.

In fact, constant switching makes it harder to focus in the long run. Your brain starts craving distractions. That is why even during offline classes, some of us feel this urge to check our phones every few minutes like we are missing something. It is not you being lazy; it is your brain reacting to overstimulation.

I tried a little experiment a few months ago. For one day, I only did one thing at a time. If I was studying, my phone was in another room. If I was eating, I was not watching reels. It was weirdly calming. I actually remembered what I studied and my food tasted better, too.

So how can we fight the multitasking urge?

Try this: start with 10-minute focus sessions. Pick one task, set a timer, and commit to it. No switching. After 10 minutes, take a short break- scroll, stretch, whatever. Then go again. Slowly increase the time as you get better at it.

Also, make your phone less tempting. I turned off notifications for non-essential apps, and wow, the peace! No more constant buzzing. It is like my brain finally got some quiet.

Look, multitasking isn’t always bad. You can totally walk and listen to a podcast. But when it comes to deep work, like learning, creating, or thinking, your brain deserves your full attention.

So next time you’re trying to “study while watching YouTube while eating while texting”… pause. Breathe. Choose one. Your brain will thank you.