Single-tasking is the deliberate opposite of multitasking: choosing one task and giving it your whole attention rather than splitting focus across several at once. What looks like multitasking is usually fast switching, with all the costs that brings.
Why it matters
Attention is a single spotlight, not a floodlight. Aiming it at one thing produces better, faster, less error-prone work than spreading it thin — and it feels calmer, too.
How to apply it
- Decide the one task before you begin, and close everything else.
- Keep a notepad for stray thoughts so they don't become detours.
- Use a timer to commit to one task for a set stretch.
- When you notice a switch starting, name it and return.