How single-tasking helped me reclaim my focus in my 40s

Spinning an obscene number of plates is a skill I long took pride in. Throughout my 30s, I rebranded multitasking as ‘habit stacking’, selling it to myself as a formal productivity practice. Watching a webinar while wearing a face mask and doing a seated stretch sequence at my desk; absorbing an audiobook as I cooked three versions of the family dinner; jogging while mentally coordinating the weekly shopping list, medical appointments and school schedules – I could maximise every moment.  

But somewhere along the line it’s become less rewarding and more taxing, and I suspect my endless layered days have been undermining my wellbeing rather than enhancing it.

The cognitive cost of multitasking

“Multitasking – performing two or more tasks at the same time or frequently switching between tasks – is a ubiquitous characteristic of modern life,” says Dr Mark Weatherall, neurologist at The Medical Chambers Kensington. We tend to frame it as resourcefulness and efficiency, while in reality, it’s mentally expensive. “Emerging evidence suggests that it may contribute to cognitive symptoms resembling dementia,” he tells me, “including impaired attention, memory difficulties, reduced problem-solving ability, and emotional disengagement”.  

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The problem is how multitasking places sustained demands on directed attention and working memory. “These are limited cognitive resources that can support a finite amount of brain effort,” Weatherall explains. “Trying to undertake multiple tasks at once causes people to like those tasks less, to use less effort, to feel less in control of tasks, to perform worse, and to be less alert and less happy.” In professional workplaces, high levels of multitasking are associated with an increased risk of burnout.

Why multitasking is harder in your 40s

Now 42, I question whether my burgeoning sense of overwhelm when juggling daily microtasks has more to do with the mental load of multitasking on a macro level: steering three children, a career and a house renovation against a backdrop of broken nights and hormonal fluctuations. “Multitasking is needed in many circumstances, including work, driving, household management, and childcare, all of which are part of the lives of busy working mothers,” Dr Weatherall points out. But I may be especially vulnerable to fragmented attention not only given what’s on my plate, but because those very things deplete capacity. “External factors such as anxiety, poor sleep and the hormonal changes of the perimenopause can all reduce people’s resilience, and may all be relevant for women in their 40s.” 

Rediscovering the power of single-tasking 

So, what can we do about it? The answer feels simple given that our systems of attention, concentration, and working memory are most effective when directed towards a single task. Dr Weatherall’s advice is clear: “Reducing distractions and interruptions will improve focus and attention”. 

That means mindful technology use and, you guessed it, doing more things in isolation. “Single-tasking is the equivalent of mindfulness for the working brain,” he says. “In the same way that multitasking can disrupt our cognitive and emotional wellbeing, single-tasking can improve our problem-solving abilities, increase our emotional engagement with tasks, and thereby improve our sense of worth and wellbeing.” 

Why single-tasking can feel uncomfortable at first

The first time I committed to folding my laundry without mentally refining my to-do list, the mundanity felt oddly peaceful. It also felt incredibly hard. My mind kept reaching for extra tasks to bolt on: mentally drafting an email or instructing my son to recite his spellings. I had to consciously hone in on the tactile action of folding tops and pairing socks. Many of us are so accustomed to multitasking that focussing on just one thing feels unnatural, even indulgent. “In addition, many people lie on a spectrum of ADHD and related disorders,” Dr Weatherall notes, “and for those people, their brain biology makes it difficult – but not impossible – to attend to one task at a time”. Here, more structure and support might be needed. 

Can everyone learn to single-task?

The concept may be simple, but actually doing it – especially within a busy household – requires intention. Dr Weatherall’s protocol for focusing is practical: “Make lists of tasks, and divide them into those that are either urgent, important, or can be delayed or delegated; break up the day into chunks and allocate specific tasks to specific times; ensure that work blocks are interspersed with time to rest and recharge”. 

The focus techniques that actually work

During the week, I’ve been using the web-based tool Pomofocus, which breaks work into 25-minute intervals separated by short breaks. It can track your concentration if you enjoy measurable progress, but for me the power lies in the psychological contract – a set time for something, followed by a sanctioned pause. 

I can’t control how my kids divert my attention, but I can better manage my digital interruptions. Disabling notifications on my phone, leaving it in a drawer when I need to focus, and deleting addictive apps have been quick but powerful wins. They help separate distraction-based multitasking – like scanning the often unnecessary WhatsApp group updates, from conscious multitasking – like listening to a podcast on a walk, which feels less draining. 

The everyday habits that’s support better concentration

Conscious single-tasking is very much a work in progress, but I’m also finding other strategies subtly enhance my mental focus. Unsurprisingly, the basics of movement, nutrition, hydration and restorative sleep matter most, and the old multitasker in me has found ways to elevate these that don’t cause cognitive overload. 

1. Pilates has become a cornerstone. A study published in the National Library of Medicine shows that the brain-to-body movement can support focus and clarity. As Gemma Folkard, founder of online platform Shape Pilates tells me, "it makes sense that precise, controlled movement, which not only stimulates the mind but also calms the nervous system, is a friend to attention”. 
2. When it comes to nutrition, functional mushrooms have made a noticeable difference. I take them via Revive Collagen’s Concentration & Clarity sachets, recommended by the brand’s resident neuroscientist Nicole Vignol. She heroes chaga for its role in increasing ATP – adenosine triphosphate – the basic energy currency in the brain and body. Lion's Mane, meanwhile, supports neuropic factors involved in creating new synapses. “So if you're trying to increase your concentration, it can help you think with a bit more clarity,” she says. For an afternoon pick-me-up, I also rate the Vital-Fizz Hydration + Focus Accelerate drink, which combines lion’s mane with electrolytes, plus L-Theanine and L-Tyrosine to support calm alertness. 
3. And then there’s sleep – the foundation on which all attention rests. To support deep, uninterrupted sleep that restores the systems required for focus (something I track via my Oura ring), my ultimate investment has been the luxury celeb-rated Eight Sleep Pod 5: an intelligent mattress cover designed to actively cool or warm each side of the bed throughout the night. The brand’s research suggests that even modest differences in sleeping temperature can mean the difference between tossing and turning or dropping into restorative sleep. 

I’d like to think these habits are scaffolding my attempts at single-tasting, which hasn’t yet transformed my life, but is shifting the texture of my days. My brain may still be carrying the same load, but it’s feeling more like mine again.