Multitasking is a behavior that is increasingly common in our affluent society. You probably know it: you answer emails while in a meeting, scroll through social media while watching television, or try to hold a conversation while typing another quick message. Still, the question is: Does all that switching between tasks really help you move forward?
Recent studies show that frequent multitasking is associated with lower working memory performance . In addition, people who multitask frequently have been found to rate themselves worse on various cognitive measures . What exactly is multitasking? Essentially, it is the attempt to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, although in reality our brain switches between these tasks at lightning speed rather than actually processing them simultaneously.
A common misconception is that women would be better at multitasking than men. In addition, we often wonder if we are actually multitasking or simply being distracted. The answer to this is not simple. In fact, research shows that chronic multitasking is associated with an impaired ability to use past experiences to guide current behavior(1).
In this article, you'll first discover what multitasking does to your brain. Next, we discuss whether the difference between men and women in this area is based on fact or pure myth. Finally, you will read how hypnosis can help you regain your focus and work more effectively by getting multitasking under control.
Recognize this? Always busy, always distracted
Imagine this: you're answering an e-mail while trying to listen to a colleague ask you a question, and meanwhile another notification pops up on your phone. Sound familiar? You're certainly not the only one.
Multitasking example: from app to email to conversation
Every day during computer work, we switch tasks as many as 566 times, approximately every 50 seconds(2). The constant switching between different activities is all around us:
- Almost half (46%) of Dutch people regularly eat with their plate on their lap in front of the television
- While driving, 30% regularly call hands-free, while 9% admit to regularly app
- On bikes, 17% make regular phone calls and 13% send messages
- And nearly one in ten Dutch people use Facebook or Twitter during a "live" conversation
A whopping 79 percent of women believe they are good at multitasking, compared to 54 percent of men(3). Moreover, only 23 percent of Dutch people think that multitasking lowers their productivity. But is this perception accurate?
Why multitasking doesn't work the way we think it does
In reality, multitasking is a myth. Our brain switches between different tasks at lightning speed, but never really performs them at the same time. This constant switching has surprisingly large consequences.
Every interruption, whether it's an email or a phone call, means that your brain takes about 15 to 25 minutes to regain full focus. In addition, your IQ drops temporarily by 10 points when your brain is interrupted, comparable to a night without sleep or smoking a joint.
Constant switching between tasks reduces your productivity by as much as 40%. Meanwhile, the chance of making mistakes increases as much as four to five times. Your creativity and problem-solving abilities decline, while your stress levels rise.
More worryingly, multitaskers are prone to "inattentional blindness," the unconscious ignoring of important details. In one experiment, 75% of phoning students walked past a purple clown on a unicycle without noticing him(4).
So contrary to popular belief, multitasking is not an efficient way of working. It exhausts you, lowers your performance and significantly increases your stress levels.
What happens in your brain during multitasking?
Have you ever been frustrated by a day when you were doing a lot but achieving little? The cause probably lies in your brain. Let's see exactly what happens during multitasking.
The illusion of efficiency
Our brain is simply not built to perform two thought processes simultaneously. What we call multitasking is actually "switch-tasking": your brain switches between different tasks at lightning speed. This switching takes about one seventeenth of a second. That seems little, but during that switchover you take in no information at all.
Moreover, part of your brain sticks to the previous task. The consequence? You have less brain capacity available for your new task. For each task, your brain determines how to perform it. It creates a plan of action, so to speak, and adjusts it to the context in which you perform the task. That constant reconfiguration requires energy.
What research shows multitasking
Studies show that switchers take up to two times longer to complete a task than people who focus on a single task. Harvard Business Review research even shows that multitaskers are up to 40% less productive(5).
A study at the University of California shows that after a break, your brain takes about 15 to 25 minutes to regain full focus. Meanwhile, the University of Leeds shows that multitasking quadruples error rates(6).
Multitasking or distraction: the difference explained
There is an important distinction: true multitasking is possible when one task is done consciously (such as reading this text) while other tasks are done unconsciously (such as breathing or sitting). With enough practice, some tasks can become automatic, such as driving a car.
What is often thought of as multitasking is actually distraction. Distraction is the mother of multitasking. Every time we see something new or get messages, our brains produce dopamine, a chemical that plays a role in experiencing pleasure. This is addictive, causing us to constantly seek out new stimuli.
This explains why chronic multitaskers actually get worse at focusing. Their brain is trained to respond to every incoming stimulus, while the brain of non-multitaskers is trained to focus on a single task.
Why women multitask more often (and whether they're better at it)
It is a persistent idea in our society: women are said to be naturally better at multitasking than men. But does this image match reality? Let's compare the facts and fables.
Multitasking women: facts and fables
A whopping 79 percent of women are convinced that they can multitask well, while of men only 54 percent think of themselves this way . Moreover, women report that they are less likely to become stressed from performing multiple tasks at once(7).
Most Dutch people, especially women, agree with the statement that women are better at multitasking than men. This belief is deeply embedded in our thinking, but is it based on scientific facts?
Can women multitask better than men?
Research from 2019 by PLOS one showed that women do not perform multiple tasks more efficiently than men. What scientific studies do show is that young women's brains use less energy than men's during multitasking. In men, more brain regions light up when performing multiple tasks simultaneously(8).
What this says about our expectations
Utrecht University confirms that two factors determine whether you can multitask well. First, whether two tasks use the same or different brain processes. Singing (auditory), for example, is easily combined with cycling (motor skills). Second, experience plays a crucial role. Tasks that you have a lot of experience with often seem to go "automatically"(9).
In short, it is not your gender but your experience that determines whether you can multitask well. Whether you are male or female, your brain has the same limitations when it comes to multitasking.
Here's how hypnosis helps you focus and stop multitasking
After all the facts about multitasking, you may be wondering: is there a solution? Hypnosis turns out to be surprisingly effective in training your brain to better focus and stop constantly switching between tasks.
What is hypnosis and how does it work?
Hypnosis is a natural state in which your mind enters deep relaxation, somewhere between waking and sleeping. In this state, you gain direct access to your subconscious mind, where beliefs, habits and emotions are stored. During hypnosis, your critical thinking becomes temporarily less dominant, making you more open to new ideas and suggestions.
Actually, hypnosis is something we all experience on a daily basis. You know that feeling? You are so engrossed in a book or series that after calling out three times you only realize that someone is talking to you. That is already a form of trance - a very natural process.
Hypnosis as a workout for your brain
Under hypnosis, something special happens: the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (the part that analyzes and criticizes everything) becomes less active. At the same time, a stronger connection develops between the part that regulates your attention and the part that processes emotions.
This process uses neuroplasticity - your brain's ability to restructure itself. Hypnosis helps to:
- Ease old, limiting patterns
- New, supportive patterns actively install
- Sustainably change behaviors and thoughts
Practical applications of hypnosis to distraction
There are two mental states that clearly affect your ability to concentrate: calmness and enthusiasm. Through hypnosis, you gain more control over these emotions and the mental state you are in. This helps against stimuli such as pain and anxiety that are destructive to your concentration.
Scientific research shows that it is scientifically proven that hypnosis can help with a variety of complaints including difficulty concentrating and stress(10), two factors strongly associated with multitasking.
Step-by-step: how to use hypnosis to focus
To apply self-hypnosis for better focus:
- Start with breathing: Breathe slower and deeper than normal. With each exhalation, tell yourself, "I am relaxing deeper and deeper."
- Set an intention: Formulate what you want to achieve, for example, "I feel calm and focused."
- Use visualization: Imagine you are working intently on a task. Visualize details such as your workspace, sounds and how you feel - excited but not too excited.
- Be consistent: Practice daily, even if it's only five minutes. As with any skill, it gets easier with practice.
Self-hypnosis is like learning to drive a car: at first it seems complicated, but once mastered it gives tremendous freedom and control over your own thoughts and emotions.
Multitasking what it really is
Now that you know what multitasking really means, you're probably amazed at its impact on your brain. The constant switching between tasks not only takes time and energy, but also significantly reduces your productivity.
The myth that women can multitask better than men turns out to be unfounded. Instead, experience with specific tasks plays a much larger role than gender. What you consider multitasking is often nothing more than distraction, a pattern that your brain learns and reinforces by constantly responding to new stimuli.
Fortunately, hypnosis offers an effective method to break this pattern. By accessing your subconscious, you can install new, supportive patterns that help you stay focused. In a way, you are training your brain to perform better by having it perform fewer tasks at once.
In addition, self-hypnosis helps you gain control over your mental state, making you less susceptible to distraction. Simple techniques such as breathing, intention setting and visualization can be applied daily and become increasingly powerful with consistent practice.
In the end, it's all about awareness. When you realize that multitasking does not make you more efficient, but rather less productive, you can make conscious choices. Therefore, choose focus instead of fragmented attention. Learn how to train your brain with hypnosis and experience for yourself how you achieve more by doing less at once.
Learn Hypnosis
Do you want to know how to live with more focus? Then knowledge of hypnosis is incredibly helpful. Come to the free online master class for an introduction.
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Sources:
1. https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.0903620106
2. https://www.managementboek.nl/tw/multitasken
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_multitasking
5. https://hbr.org/2010/05/how-and-why-to-stop-multitaski
6. https://hr.berkeley.edu/grow/grow-your-community/wisdom-caf%C3%A9-wednesday/impact-interruptions
7. https://www.fundacaobial.com/en-GB/science-stories/women-show-greater-engagement-for-multitasking
8. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0220150&utm_source=chatgpt.com
9. https://www.uu.nl/nieuws/kunnen-vrouwen-beter-multitasken-dan-mannen
10. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ch.327
