Member-only story
I Stopped Multitasking And My Productivity Exploded
How letting go of the habit I thought made me efficient revealed the true secret to speed, quality, and focus — and why it’s reshaping how we work.
For years, I wore multitasking like a badge of honor.
I’d answer emails while on a call, draft reports while listening to meetings, and plan my day while eating lunch. If I wasn’t doing at least two things at once, I felt lazy, slow, or unproductive. Every article, every boss, every successful person I followed said the same thing: Great workers do more, faster, all at once.
I assumed this was the only way to keep up. It never crossed my mind that the very skill I was proudest of might be the thing holding me back.
The disruption came after a messy, frustrating week.
I had rushed through three big projects, replied to hundreds of messages, and attended six meetings. But when I looked back, I couldn’t remember the details of any of them. I’d made small mistakes in every single task — errors I never would have made if I’d taken my time. And worst of all, I felt exhausted, scattered, and empty.
That’s when I had a moment of doubt.
I wondered: What if I’m not actually getting more done? What if I’m just doing more things poorly?
