The Truth about Multitasking

In today’s fast-paced work environment, multitasking has become a badge of honor. We pride ourselves on juggling multiple projects, responding to emails during meetings, and switching between tasks with lightning speed.

However, this constant task-switching comes with a hidden cost that extends far beyond reduced productivity – the habit of dividing our attention can fundamentally undermine the trust we build with others.

The Illusion of Efficiency/Presence

When we multitask, we operate under the illusion that we’re being more efficient. Research tells a different story. Studies show that switching between tasks can reduce productivity by up to 40%. But the impact on trust is even more insidious and long-lasting.

Think about the last time you were speaking with someone who was simultaneously checking their phone or typing on their laptop. How did it make you feel? That subtle sense of disconnection you experienced wasn’t just in your head.

Regardless of their intent, when someone divides their attention during an interaction, it sends a clear message: what’s happening on their device is more important than the person in front of them. To the person being “half-listened” to, this may:

• Communicate that the conversation isn’t worthy of full attention
• Suggest that other tasks or people are more important
• Create doubt about whether information is being fully absorbed and understood

Trust Requires Presence

Trust is built in moments of genuine connection and attention. When we multitask, we sacrifice our ability to fully engage with another person, sending a clear message that we’re not fully present. This absence of presence makes it difficult for others to feel truly heard, understood, and valued.

Consider a team member who is obviously looking at email or typing during a virtual meeting. Even if they catch most of the conversation, their divided attention communicates a lack of investment in the project, and in the team. Over time, even when they do engage, others may be less likely to listen because they don’t feel the person is fully invested, nor that they have truly understood the conversation.

Even if you think you can hide multitasking from your colleagues and clients, neuroscience research suggests that multitasking affects our ability to empathize and read emotional cues – key components in building trust. When we’re switching between tasks, our brain can’t fully engage in the emotional processing necessary for meaningful human connection.

Breaking the Cycle

To create trust, we need to focus on the person or task in front of us, not on all of other things we need to do. Here are a few ideas to help make the change:

1. Create dedicated focus time for important conversations and meetings to avoid interruptions
2. Identify important topics and interactions for which you will commit to single-tasking
3. Be present during conversations or meetings, put away devices and give your full attention to the people you’re interacting with

True efficiency comes not from doing many things at once, but from giving our best to each task and interaction. By prioritizing focused attention and resisting the urge to multitask, we can improve outcomes and strengthen trust.

Moving Forward

Multitasking is a choice we make. While everyone has time constraints, how we use the time we have is up to us. Putting “efficiency” ahead of relationships is its own message.

The next time you’re tempted to multitask during an interaction, consider the trust cost of that decision. Ask yourself: Is the immediate convenience worth the potential long-term damage to this professional relationship?

In a world that increasingly values efficiency over connection, choosing to single-task during important interactions might be the competitive advantage we’ve been overlooking.

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