Actually, Multitasking Isn’t *That* Bad. 3 Tips to Do It Well

(This article is part of a series called <a href="https://medium.com/the-700-word-read" rel="noopener">The 700-Word Read</a>: journalistic, anecdotal posts that park under 700 words, to practice succinct storytelling.) Let’s just call a spade a spade: Multitasking is an essential skill in today’s remote work economy. Productivity enthusiasts love to make multitasking the enemy. But for many of us, multitasking isn’t only inevitable; it’s also our job. From juggling multiple projects to being available on Slack at the drop of a hat, multitasking is just part of the gig. Moreover, multitasking means different things to different people. For some, it’s simply project management, moving forward initiatives that must be achieved. Others engage in more innocent “media multitasking,” such as when you listen to music or scroll your phone while doing work. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7075496/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Research</a> isn’t in your corner on either of these working out well. Yes, we know multitasking is bad. But if you have a day job or multiple clients, you’re probably going to have to multitask anyway. Rather than fantasize about a day with no distractions, learn how to work smarter with competing initiatives. ➡️ Related: If you like to write, consider downloading my free Article Template Toolkit, now available as a Notion template. <a href="https://nickwolny.com/att?utm_source=Medium&utm_medium=700-word-read&utm_campaign=8-7-2023" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Get it here.</a> <h1>Your Brain on Tasks</h1> Before we get to actionable tactics, let’s first get aligned on the neuroscience behind multitasking. <a href="https://medium.com/the-700-word-read/actually-multitasking-isnt-that-bad-3-tips-to-do-it-well-7643e9da6fb5">Website</a>