I used to think I was a multitasking pro. Emails during meetings, messages while writing reports, phone in hand 24/7 — I told myself I was “making the most of every second.”
Turns out, I wasn’t. And one simple exercise made it painfully clear.
The Exercise That Changed Everything
Try this:
Step 1 — Say the alphabet out loud from A to Z.
Step 2 — Count from 1 to 30.
Easy, right?
Now Step 3 — Alternate between letters and numbers: A, 1, B, 2, C, 3…
Suddenly it’s harder — and slower.
That was my aha moment: multitasking wasn’t helping me do more. It was dragging me down.
What’s Really Happening When You Multitask
It’s not multitasking, it’s rapid task-switching and it comes with a cost.
Imagine your brain as an air traffic control tower — but with only one runway. Only one plane (or cognitively demanding task) can land or take off at any moment. When you try to “multitask,” it’s not two planes landing at once — it’s constant rerouting. Each switch requires your brain to clear the mental runway, recalibrate attention, and reload the context of the new task. That takes time, and it burns mental fuel.
According to the American Psychological Association, switching tasks can eat up as much as 40% of your productive time. That’s nearly half your day — gone not because of laziness, but because of constant mental stop-and-go.
We’ve all felt it. The fog after a day of messages, emails, and back-to-back meetings. That lingering sense of “I worked all day… but didn’t finish anything.”
Why This Matters for Public Servants
In government, the pressure is real: high stakes, tight deadlines, limited resources. It’s tempting to believe that juggling everything at once is the only way to keep up.
But here’s the trap: multitasking doesn’t just slow you down — it weakens the quality of your work.
Switching between preparing a policy presentation and responding to a complex email? That’s like trying to sprint while changing shoes mid-run — you break momentum, lose efficiency, and are far more likely to fall flat.
It shows up everywhere:
- People replying to messages during meetings.
- Key details getting missed.
- Follow-up meetings to fix what got lost in translation.
Over time, this kind of work pattern rewires our brains. I’ve felt it myself: after years of chronic juggling, I struggled to focus — even when I wanted to.
How to Break the Multitasking Habits
Luckily, your brain can relearn how to focus. It takes practice, but the payoff is real — fewer mistakes, less rework, and more clarity.
Here’s how to get started:
1. Try the ABC-123 Test
Do it yourself — or better yet, use it in a team meeting. It’s a quick, memorable way to feel the cost of switching tasks.
2. Start with Short Focus Blocks
Set a timer for 15 minutes. Pick one task. No inbox. No phone. When the timer ends, take a quick break. Gradually extend to 25, 45, or even 60-minute focus blocks.
3. Control Your Environment
Make focus easier. Silence your phone. Close extra tabs. Turn off chat apps. In meetings, commit to being present — even if others aren’t.
4. Combine Tasks Wisely
Some multitasking is fine — if the tasks don’t compete for attention. Walking and listening to a podcast? Great. Writing a report and checking Teams? Not so much.
5. Reflect and Adjust
Ask yourself at the end of the day: When was I most focused? What helped? Use that insight to do it better the next day.
Final Thought
Multitasking feels like a badge of honor — but it’s really a hidden trap. If you’ve ever felt stuck on the hamster wheel, this might be why.
The next time you feel the urge to juggle, try this instead: stop, pick one task, and give it your full attention.
You’ll be surprised how much faster — and better — the work gets done.
