Why You Should Be Single-Tasking, Not Multitasking & How To Make The Switch

When you're simultaneously checking your emails, shouting to Alexa to text your sister, and ordering your kids' sports equipment, while fretting about an upcoming work presentation as you throw string cheese into school lunch bags, you may feel like you're getting so much more done.

The clinical (and, let's be honest, more accurate) term for doing more than one thing at a time is not multitasking but "task-switching," because in reality, you can't concentrate on more than one thing at a time. In fact, the American Psychological Association has calculated that all of the task-switching we do and all of the distractions caused by technology can cost a whopping 40% of someone's productive time.

But by learning to prioritize tasks, minimize distractions, and focus on one thing at a time, you can actually do a better, more thoughtful job—and #bonuspoints, feel calmer at the end of the day.

Mindfulness, which is the ability to fully focus on one thing at a time and be present in the moment, is the opposite of distractedly multitasking—and can be the key to solving it. "I believe it's the key to a healthier relationship with technology," says Christina Malecka, a Seattle-based psychotherapist and the founder of Digital Mindfulness Retreats.

A 2016 Case Western Reserve University meta-analysis of previous studies noted that it's estimated that the human mind wanders for roughly half of our waking hours but that mindfulness has been shown to improve three qualities of attention: stability, control, and efficiency.

Practices like meditation, yoga, tai chi, or journaling "provide a foundation that makes it easier to step back, see the big picture, respond rather than react, and focus on one thing at a time," Malecka explains. This can help you in every aspect of your life, from home to office. Being mindful can also help you refocus when your day starts to overwhelm you...and we've all had those days.

There's the to-do list in your phone, the one on your at-home calendar, plus several Post-its scattered around the house. "It's impossible to start prioritizing if you don't really know all of the things you need to get done," notes Malecka.

Spending time outdoors is an ideal way to help you relax and open your mind to creative thoughts, and yet many of us suffer from what experts have labeled "nature deficit disorder."