Multitasking is a great way to get more things done, but the benefits come at a cost. To be a first-class multitasker, you need to be aware of the issues—and how to overcome them. 

To get good at doing several things at once, it helps to understand how our brains work. The good news is that they are actually designed for multitasking, so we are naturally adept at this.

What’s not so good is that the complexity of dealing with multiple tasks puts the frontal lobe of our brains under pressure. This is the part of our brain that controls emotions, stress, skills, and expressions. This eventually leads to an increase in chronic stress levels. Our attentiveness gets weakened, and we become less alert. 

The result is that your mental productivity decreases when you start focusing on multiple tasks. This is especially true if they have to be completed in a given time frame. So, overall, we become less efficient. 

Psychological studies show that your mind slows down when switching between different tasks. This leads to mental friction, which makes it hard to concentrate. 

Over time, more problems arise. These include weakness in working memory and an effect on long-term memory.

In extreme cases, this can lead to depression and social anxiety. However, this does not usually happen in the live chat environment. It’s more likely among people who multitask in their private lives, trying to juggle multiple social media channels for many hours. 

Nevertheless, we should be aware of the problem. If not handled properly, this can lead to a drop in mental wellbeing and emotional health. 

Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to fight back against these potential issues. When at work, you should: