Work & Money

Experts say: multitasking takes more time than monotasking

By Isabel ten Brink | #!31Sun, 18 Jan 2026 04:00:22 +0100+01:002231#31Sun, 18 Jan 2026 04:00:22 +0100+01:00-4Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam202631 18am31am-31Sun, 18 Jan 2026 04:00:22 +0100+01:004Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam2026312026Sun, 18 Jan 2026 04:00:22 +0100004001amSunday=9#!31Sun, 18 Jan 2026 04:00:22 +0100+01:00Europe/Amsterdam1#01-18-2026#!31Sun, 18 Jan 2026 04:00:22 +0100+01:002231#/31Sun, 18 Jan 2026 04:00:22 +0100+01:00-4Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam202631#!31Sun, 18 Jan 2026 04:00:22 +0100+01:00Europe/Amsterdam1#

Everyone knows it: the holiday is over and now there is a huge backlog to catch up on because you have pushed a bit too much to next year. So there you are, with a mountain of work in front of you that doesn't seem to get any smaller. Most people will automatically try to switch to multitasking. Because when you're in a hurry, it saves time to do multiple things at once, right? Wrong.

Multitasking actually makes you less productive

Just imagine that you're in a hurry. While you're brushing your teeth, you try to put on socks, which of course doesn't go very well with one hand, so you take that toothbrush out of your mouth for a moment. As a result, it ultimately takes more time to put on your socks and your teeth are brushed less effectively. A very silly example perhaps, but it is a clear illustration of what the experts are talking about. Research has shown that multitasking can reduce your productivity by 40%, and because of this, it can take up to 50% more time to complete your to-dos.

And that's not the only reason you should stop multitasking

We should all stop doing it en masse, because multitasking not only means you spend longer on everything, it also creates a lot of stress. In your head, you're juggling so many different things, constantly switching between them, which leaves you exhausted on the couch at the end of the day and can even lead to burnout in the long run.

Yet the transition is not that easy

Monotasking means that you fully focus on a specific task until you have completely finished it. Of course, you can work on multiple different projects in one day, but make sure to schedule a separate time block for each in your agenda. This way, you have a clear deadline for one task before you dive into the details of the next ’to do’. If a colleague stops by with some additional points for something you're not currently working on? Write it down, then you can let it go until the moment you start working on it. Of course, it's not easy at first to tell your favorite colleague that you don't have time for what they're bringing up at that moment. But eventually, everyone will get used to it and probably even follow your example.

Source: American Psychological Association