Stop multitasking: how to work more productively and with more focus

Your day is packed with tasks. In between, you answer emails, scroll through messages on your phone, and try to quickly finish that report. It feels like you're doing a great job. But at the end of the day, you wonder: what have I actually accomplished?

Multitasking might seem like the solution to getting everything done at once, but in reality, you're just overdoing it. The solution isn't working harder, but focusing smarter.

Every time you switch between tasks—for example, from a meeting to an email and then back to your schedule—your brain loses valuable energy. Your concentration becomes fragmented, you're more likely to make mistakes, and your productivity plummets without you even realizing it.

Your brain needs time to refocus. Research shows it takes an average of 23 minutes to fully refocus on a task after an interruption. That adds up over the course of a day. Meanwhile, stress builds as you feel like you're playing catch-up.

Many people think they're good at multitasking. But neurologically speaking, that's an illusion. Your brain can't handle two complex tasks simultaneously. What you're actually doing is constantly switching between different tasks—and that's precisely what's exhausting.

Multitasking constantly taxes your working memory. You lose perspective, are more likely to make mistakes, and miss the opportunity to work deeply and with concentration. Ultimately, it costs you more time than it saves.

The opposite of multitasking is monotasking: one task at a time, with your full attention. By allowing yourself to focus entirely on one thing, you create peace and space in your mind. You'll more easily enter a state of flow – that wonderful state where you work with focus and lose track of time.

Monotasking helps you work faster and better. Not by working harder, but by giving your brain the chance to truly sink its teeth into something. This is the foundation of deep work: focused time spent accomplishing something meaningful.

The Focus Planner is designed for people who want to run less and achieve more. No endless to-do lists, but a structured approach that allows you to consciously choose where to focus your attention.

Every day, you start by identifying your three most important tasks. What needs to be done today to get closer to your goals? By dividing your day into time blocks, you create space for deep focus and for breaks. At the end of the day, you briefly reflect: what went well, what could be improved? This way, you continue to grow without overextending yourself.

The power of the planner lies in its simplicity: it helps you not only to do more, but above all to do the right things – with attention.

If you're used to constantly jumping from one thing to another, monotasking might feel awkward at first. But with a few simple adjustments, you can start today.

Turn off notifications on your phone and computer so you're not constantly interrupted by your flow. Use a timer to give yourself defined focus blocks—for example, 40 minutes of work followed by a short break. Plan your day in advance in your planner so you don't have to constantly think about what to do next. And at the end of the day, take a moment to reflect: when did you feel focused? When did you get distracted? These insights will help you become increasingly better at working mindfully.

Multitasking makes you busy, but not productive. If you stop trying to do everything at once and choose one task at a time, you'll quickly notice how much peace and results it brings. You'll work with more focus, more satisfaction, and ultimately: more impact.

Want more control over your time and tasks? Discover the Focus Planner and start achieving true focus today.

Read the blog: The most effective productivity methods in a row (and which one suits you)