Are we multitasking too much? Why it can be stressful and inefficient — and how to step back.

The allure of multitasking is hard to ignore. Of course it sounds like a great idea to take that meeting from the car, or to have Real Housewives on “in the background” while you work, or to check your emails while listening to a podcast.

You might think that you alone have figured out the way to effectively juggle multiple tasks at once. Unfortunately, you’re probably falling into a trap: Studies show our perceived ability to multitask is far greater than our actual ability to multitask. “According to research, only 2.5% of people can multitask successfully,” says time management strategist Kelly Nolan. “So there’s a 97.5% chance you, the person reading this, cannot multitask without a decrease in your performance on the tasks.” Indeed, the cold hard facts say that multitasking is not doing the vast majority of us any favors.

So when is multitasking working against us and not making us ultra-efficient little worker bees? And what can we do about it in a work culture that prides itself on productivity? Here's what experts say.

Multitasking makes tasks take longer

“Multitasking is less effective than solo-tasking,” licensed psychologist Jenna Brownfield tells Yahoo Life. “You can still get things done and be effective when multitasking, but it usually comes at the cost of tasks taking more time or having more errors.” Studies back that up — and show exactly why this happens. Our brains are, quite literally, not designed to do two things simultaneously. When we attempt to do so anyway, it requires more neural processing to switch from task to task, which slows both tasks down.

“​​The tricky thing is how it feels isn’t always accurate,” says productivity expert Grace Marshall. “We can feel like we’re working faster or getting loads done when multitasking because it feels busy; we’re stimulated when we’re switching tasks. But in reality, it takes more time [and] more cognitive energy, and we’re more likely to lose the thread or make mistakes.”

Multitasking leaves us feeling more stressed

Studies also indicate that multitasking can leave people feeling higher levels of anxiety, depression and chronic stress. “A common dynamic I see is that multitasking leaves you feeling anxious and your mind feeling scattered,” says Brownfield. “You are less focused and less productive with the tasks at hand. When someone does solo-tasking, they focus more in-depth with a single task. They often end up being more efficient and less anxious.”

Still, some people thrive off that energy

Many among us, however, might know that multitasking isn’t the ticket but insist upon doing it anyway. “Some people find multitasking to be more stimulating than solo-tasking,” says Brownfield, adding that those people must be “willing to accept the pitfalls of multitasking for the sake of a more engaging work time.”

“Multitasking can be fun for some people precisely because you’re distracting yourself,” adds Marshall. “For example, listening to a podcast or chatting to a friend when I’m running takes my mind off the fact that my legs hurt! But I’m intentionally taking attention away from one thing onto another.”

But if you don’t thrive off that energy, respect your needs

If you’re paying close attention, you might see your body and mind waving the flag that the attempts at multitasking are not working. A big telltale sign is that you begin making mistakes — not because you don’t know something but because you’re moving too fast. There are also often physical components to look for. “Your thoughts may begin moving at a faster tempo or your body feels restless,” notes Brownfield. If that sounds familiar, perhaps it’s time to give solo-tasking a go.

So what’s the best way to take a break or make your multitasking more meaningful?

“Brief breaks to refocus and center yourself can go a long way,” says Brownfield. “Taking even 10 minutes to step away from the tasks, take some deep breaths and then come back to it helps.”

All that said, there are times when multitasking is totally unavoidable — which is probably no surprise to any parents or caregivers. “I personally use timers on Alexa in my kitchen often,” shares Nolan. “If my 3-year-old needs me while I'm cooking her dinner, I'll set a two-minute timer to remind myself to come back to the stove when that thing should be stirred. Don't expect your brain to do both tasks (cooking and kid-caring) well at the same time. Help yourself out.”

But if, and when, you can: Try to avoid multitasking. “It's useful not to confuse multitasking with having multiple commitments, projects or roles to fulfill,” says Marshall. “It’s a bit like traffic control. In order to focus on moving one thing across, something else needs to be on hold. We work better when we can strategically switch focus between these things — and have time when we step back and review the overall picture — rather than trying to pay attention to everything at once.”