Why I Jump Between Tasks: Embracing the Chaos of Multitasking

Have you ever sat down to get to work on one thing for 5 minutes and then noticed yourself trying to juggle five things at once? You set out to accomplish one thing, and before you know it, another thought has crept in, then one more, and the next thing you know is that you are bouncing all over the place, working on completely different tasks.
It seems cluttered and haphazard, and nothing is really accomplished. However, does this chronic task-switching translate to distraction? Or is there more at plate?

As a frequent task switcher, I learned that my focus was not always lacking. It’s just how our brains tend to operate when we have a lot on our plates or when dealing with multiple issues. One minute, I’m researching a part of history, and the other second, I’m programming code for an algorithm that I’ve been developing. I have begun to think that maybe these moments of multitasking are not so bad after all.

It turns out, in fact, that I found some surprising advantages to task-switching. For one, it helps avoid burnout. For example, I frequently take a break from one mentally taxing task to do something else and come back with a brand new outlook of fresh energy. Allowing your mind to detour brings with it a curious productivity increase.

I experienced this a lot during my online studies for UPSC; after hours of grinding over history and polity, switching to creative coding always felt like a fresh breeze to mind (and vice versa). I find that when I hit a mental block on a programming-like problem, taking time to learn something totally unrelated can often trigger solutions previously unseen.

Not only does this bouncing around between tasks prevent burnout, but it can foster creativity as well. Shifting focus can result in unlikely connections between two disparate thoughts. One particular instance I remember is when I was battling with a coding problem and drawing parallels from ethics that I had just studied for UPSC, which helped me gain another perspective to solve that problem. Thinking of some of the frameworks I was reading in ethics sparked an idea… and suddenly a breakthrough.

It was one of those times when I realised how wise it is to let my mind wander while going from one task to another. And though task-switching can be a little expedient and muddled, I also discovered that it often results in increased productivity.

Naturally, we are not all master multitaskers. But if there is too much, you can feel scattered and have half-done projects stacking up with nothing ever completed. I have days where I go from one task to the next so often that by the end of the day, it feels like nothing has been achieved. I am still learning to balance this concept.

You have the power to control the chaos and make multitasking a tool for efficiency. One thing that I have found to be helpful is time blocking. This is called controlled multitasking. By allotting specific times for each activity, I allow myself to move freely without the feeling that I am dropping one thing for another. 
Another trick is using the Pomodoro technique– which is working intensely on a task for a specified time and then taking a break to do something else. This allows my brain to change gears without the sense that I am becoming distracted. 
I have to admit, in some respects, that I have embraced what I affectionately refer to as productive chaos. Society tells us to concentrate on one thing at a time. However, some of us feel more natural multitasking. So long as those most important things are what you pay attention to — multitasking is possible, and it doesn’t all come crashing down at once.

I think the bottom line is that multitasking may be chaotic, but it is not a deficiency (always). It is just another way to be productive, one that suits some better than others. If you are a Task switcher, do not consider yourself the only person. Once you figure this out, welcome it — and hone it.

So, the next time you find yourself multitasking, try questioning: is it really a distraction, or is your brain looking for more ways to handle the load? You may find that alternating between tasks is actually more productive than you realise. Try, and try again, to figure out how you can wrangle your own type of chaos in a way that works best for you.