Task Switching (for Good This Time)

We know there’s no such thing as multi-tasking. We also know that task switching can bring great fatigue and many inefficiencies. For example, it’s often best to do all of the gardening before you send emails and decide which student loan to get your child and prep dinner. Mixing all of those tasks generally makes us worse at each task. 

There’s another side to this coin. 

There can come a fatigue point where stitching tasks is actually better for performance. When your ability to focus and hold attention in the garden is coming to an end, you might be able to find energy reserves to continue your day by switching to a new type of task rather than plod on with gardening, for example, despite your diminishing returns. 

Doing all of your logic-brained computer work at once is likely a good idea until your Excel files start moving like the Matrix, you might feel like your work day is over. Instead, switch the type of work you’re doing to something more creative for a second wind. 

Have you found certain types of tasks that you benefit from switching?