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Do you feel like your brain goes a million directions at one time, making it hard to actually get anything done?
Then this is for you! 🙊

🧠the truth about brain health & multitasking

Lately, patients have been coming to me with a lot of questions about ADHD diagnoses, hormone imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, blood sugar regulation, sleep support - essentially, all the usual suspects when it comes to brain health and productivity. While these factors are all important to consider, there’s one crucial piece of the puzzle that many of us overlook: multitasking.

You might be surprised to learn that most people CAN’T multitask. In fact, only about 2.5 % of people are able to effectively juggle multiple tasks at once. The rest of us? We’re simply task-switching, meaning we’re jumping from one task to the next. As we switch- we actually become less efficient and lose more time between tasks, because we are more prone to distractions. It also makes it very difficult to be mindful and truly present in the moment which is really important for your mood and productivity.

**So, Why Doesn’t Multitasking Work?**
For many of my patients like yourself, day-to-day life is already a juggling act. You’re managing households, leading teams at work, participating in your children’s activities and classrooms, and more. With so many responsibilities pulling you in different directions, your brain is constantly trying to do too much at one time.

In times like this, the opposite is actually helpful - **slowing down and single-tasking.** Hear me out: By training our brains to focus on one thing at a time, we can become more efficient and present, both at work, and at home. This isn’t just a “nice to have” skill - it’s a critical one for both your mental well-being and your productivity.

🧩A Simple Challenge, Or Not: Single-Tasking In Action

I challenge you to do something simple, yet powerful. Choose one household task, like unloading the dishwasher, and focus solely on that. Don’t multitask. Don’t switch gears by putting the milk back in the fridge or tossing a dirty plate into the garbage. Don’t turn on your podcast or music, and instead, focus on the task at hand, moving a little bit slower, reminding your brain to slow down.

This may sound simple, or you may be thinking “Yeah, right…” but the truth is, our brains are so conditioned to multitask, that it can feel strange or even uncomfortable to slow down. By practicing this skill during these small, every day moments can make a huge impact on your overall stress.

⚔️Technology, The Double-Edged Sword:

Another really important piece to this puzzle is looking at technology and how it inhibits single-tasking. Technology can be a huge help when it comes to productivity - but it can also be a major distraction. You know the feeling - you’re trying to get a major project done, then suddenly an email notification pops up about your kid’s swimming registration. Maybe you don’t even open the email right away, but it certainly is enough to interrupt your flow and throw you off track.

Even something as small as seeing the notification light on your phone is enough for your brain to struggle to focus on the task at hand.

So, I want you to ask yourself: What notifications do you actually need to get your job done?

What would happen if you didn’t check that email immediately at 8PM? Would the world fall apart? Probably not.

While technology can be fantastic and efficient in so many ways, we need to be intentional about how we are using it. If we let it distract us too often, it can lead to overwhelm and distraction.

💡How To Take Control Of Your Focus:

Ultimately, if we want to be more productive and less overwhelmed, we need to take control of how we focus. By practising single-tasking and being mindful of the technology around us, we can reduce distractions and get more done with less mental exhaustion.

I challenge you to try these things and report back. It won’t be easy at first, but with practice, it will make a huge difference. Plus, your brain will thank you for it!

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