Multitasking: The Myth and Reality

Multitasking has been widely recognized as a myth that our brains struggle to do effectively. The brain is a limited capacity system, and attempting to juggle multiple tasks can result in errors and decreased performance. This is due to the interference caused by trying to switch between different tasks, resulting in a startup cost each time. Even tasks that seem simple, like driving and talking on a hands-free mobile phone, can be dangerous due to the impact on attention and reaction time. Although some people may appear to be better at multitasking, it is ultimately more efficient to focus on one task at a time.