Note to Self: Multitasking Isn’t the Flex You Think It Is

The other day I sat down with my laptop to “finally get some things done.”

You know… it was going to be one of those very productive, get-my-life-together kind of mornings.

I opened my laptop with full intention to start on one project.

But before I could begin, my brain chimed in:

While you’re here, you should answer that email.

And don’t forget you still need to figure out dinner.

Also, what are you doing about that appointment you haven’t scheduled?

And you really should make progress on that other thing too…

So I opened a few tabs.

Made a list.

Rearranged the list.

Thought about the “best order” to do everything in.

Twenty minutes later, I had been very busy.

And I had not actually started a single thing.

That’s when it hit me: multitasking isn’t just doing multiple things at once. Sometimes it’s trying to hold your entire life in your head while attempting to do one small task.

And that? That’s not a flex. That’s a fast track to feeling stuck.

Multitasking Isn’t Just “Doing Two Things”

We usually picture multitasking as folding laundry while watching a show or answering texts while waiting in line at the DMV.

But the kind that wears us out the most happens quietly in our own minds.

It sounds like:

• Trying to plan multiple projects at the same time

• Mentally juggling today, next week, and next month all at once

• Constantly asking, “What’s the most efficient way to get everything done?”

That sounds responsible. Mature. On top of things.

But what it actually creates is a constant low-level pressure that fries our focus before we even begin.

Your brain can either do or strategize. Trying to do both all day long is like revving the engine while riding the brakes.

When “Being Efficient” Turns Into Paralysis

Here’s the sneaky part no one talks about.

The more we try to mentally manage everything, the harder it becomes to move anything forward.

When your brain sees ten important things, it starts thinking:

We must choose the BEST possible thing to do next.

So you:

• rethink your priorities

• rearrange your to-do list

• research

• overthink

• become overwhelmed

• delay starting

Not because you’re lazy.

Because you’re trying to be smart about your time.

But that pressure to make the perfect decision about what to do first can leave you doing absolutely nothing.

For me, this shows up in the smallest, most ridiculous ways.

I’ll look at one cluttered shelf and think, I should clean that off.

Seems simple enough.

But then my brain goes:

Where will every single item go?

Do I need a bin? A basket? A different room?

Should I declutter that drawer first so these things can go there?

What if I put something somewhere “temporary” and just create another mess?

And suddenly I can’t even start clearing the shelf… because I don’t have a complete relocation plan for every single object on it.

So the shelf stays messy.

Not because I don’t care.

Not because I’m incapable.

But because my brain wants to see the entire finished picture before it’s willing to take the first step.

That’s not laziness. That’s mental overload disguised as “being thorough.”

Multitasking often turns into pre-tasking — endless thinking about doing instead of actually doing.

*I should copyright "prestasking" because it describes my biggest problem perfectly.*

The “Half-Done Everything” Problem

Even when we do get moving, multitasking has a way of watering everything down.

You answer the email, but it’s rushed.

You work on the project, but your attention keeps drifting.

You’re in a conversation, but part of your brain is still on your to-do list.

You finish the chore… kind of.

Nothing is a disaster.

But nothing feels finished or satisfying either.

By the end of the day, you’re tired, scattered, and weirdly unaccomplished — even though you were “busy” the whole time.

That’s not a motivation problem.

That’s divided-attention fatigue.

The Big Picture Still Matters (Just Not 24/7)

I’m not saying forget your goals. Or stop planning. Or pretend life is just one tiny task at a time.

The big picture is important.

But it works best as a background guide, not a constant mental pop-up ad - that's just exhausting.

When the big picture is always front and center, every small task starts to feel loaded with pressure:

• Is this the BEST use of my time?

• Should I be doing something more important?

• How does this fit into everything else?

Suddenly, sending one email feels like it carries the weight of your entire future.

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is shrink your focus and say:

For the next little while, this is the only thing that exists.

Not forever. Just for now.

What I’m Trying Instead

I’m not giving up planning or big dreams. I’m just experimenting with not dragging all of them into every single moment.

A few small shifts have helped:

1. Choosing one thing for the next block of time

Not the most perfect thing. Not the most efficient thing. Just one reasonable thing.

2. Noticing when I start spiraling into “What’s the best order to do all this?”

That’s my cue to stop rearranging and just begin something.

3. Letting some things be temporarily unmanaged

Everything does not need my active mental supervision at all times. Life keeps moving even when I’m focused on one task. (This is evidence of my control issues at play.)

4. Finishing small things on purpose

There’s something powerful about actually completing something. Multitasking steals that feeling from us by keeping everything halfway done.

5. Letting myself start before I know how it all ends

Sometimes I don’t need a full plan for where everything will go. This will be a tough one for me.

I just need to begin.

Clearing one shelf.

Sorting one small pile.

Moving a few obvious things.

I’m learning that action creates clarity way faster than overthinking ever has. The “perfect system” usually shows up after I start — not before.

Maybe This Is the Real Flex

We’ve been taught that juggling more means we’re capable.

But maybe real capability looks like:

• choosing one thing

• giving it your attention

• letting that be enough for now

Multitasking feels like control.

Focus feels slower. Quieter. Less impressive.

But focus is what actually moves things forward. It’s what brings that calm, steady sense that something meaningful got done — not just touched.

I’m starting to think the real flex isn’t how many things we can carry at once. It’s how gently we can set a few of them down… and actually finish what’s in front of us.

Please tell me I’m not the only one who can stand in front of one messy shelf and somehow turn it into a 14-step life plan. 😅

What’s one small, totally doable thing you’re choosing to focus on first? Share it below — we’ll keep each other company in the land of doing one thing at a time.

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