Multitasking is a very common scenario I find myself in, and I’m sure many people can relate. Whether that be listening to music while revising, replying to messages whilst going homework, scrolling whilst watching a video. It feels like doing more than one thing is a skill we must master in this fast-paced world. But despite its reputation, multitasking comes with hidden costs that quietly damage how we think, learn, and feel.
Attention is the first cost. When we multitask, our brain doesn’t actually do two things at once – it switches rapidly between them. Each switch takes effort, even if we don’t notice it. Over time, this constant switching makes it much harder to concentrate on a single task for a long time. Revision becomes inefficient, slower, reading heavier, and even conversations can feel interrupted by the urge to check something else. This assumed ‘productivity’ is often distraction in disguise.
Multitasking also weakens learning. When we divide attention, information doesn’t sink in properly. A half-focused mind memorises enough just to get by with, but not enough for true understanding, and long-term memory storage. This is why revision done alongside messages or videos often leads to rereading the same page again and again. The brain was present but not engaged. This often ends up with feelings of frustration and impatience.
As we know, there is always an emotional cost. Multitasking keeps the mind in a constant state of alertness. Notifications, tabs, and background noise prevent mental rest. Even when tasks are small, the brain feels busy all the time. This can lead to feeling irritated, mentally exhausted, and the feeling you’re always doing something but actually never finishing it properly – that sense of satisfaction when finishing a task is lost.
Perhaps the most frustrating cost of all is time itself. Multitasking often makes tasks take longer, not shorter. Switching between homework and your phone can double the time tasks take – not because the work is harder, but because attention keeps resetting. What could have been a task completed calmly turns into a stretched-out session filled with stops and starts.
And yet, multitasking feels unavoidable. We’re surrounded by devices designed to pull our attention in different directions. But the solution isn’t to do everything slower – it’s do have a more structured way of doing tasks and reducing the number of things we do at once. Giving one task your full attention, even for a short period, often leads to better results and less stress.
The hidden cost of multitasking is that it promises efficiency but delivers exhaustion. Focus, once broken, it very difficult to rebuild. In a world that encourages us to split our attention, choosing to concentrate on one thing may feel uncomfortable – but it’s also one of the most powerful habits we can develop.
Sometimes, doing less at once is the fastest way forward.
