The Monotasking Mind
"Doing one thing at a time is not a slow way to work: it is the only way to work with depth."
We celebrate multitasking as a modern skill. We pride ourselves on jumping between code, chat, and documentation in a matter of seconds.
But the human brain does not multitask: it task-switches. Every jump costs a cognitive penalty, leaving a residue of attention behind. You end the day feeling exhausted, yet unsure of what you actually completed.
Monotasking is the practice of choosing one task, closing all other tabs, and staying there until it is finished. It feels slow at first, but it is the fastest way to build work that has substance and care.
J.C.