Lawyers pride themselves on the ability to juggle. At any given moment, a typical lawyer may be responding to emails, reviewing a contract, and keeping one eye on a text from a client who has decided that “urgent” means “within the next three minutes.” Add a ringing phone and a looming deadline, and it is easy to feel like multitasking is not just a skill but a survival strategy.

There is just one problem: true multitasking does not really exist.

What most of us call multitasking is actually task switching. The human brain is remarkably powerful, but it is not designed to perform multiple cognitively demanding tasks at the same time. Neuroscience research consistently shows that when we think we are multitasking, our brain is simply shifting rapidly from one task to another. Each time that shift occurs, the brain incurs what researchers call a switching cost.

When a lawyer stops drafting a motion to respond to an email and then returns to the motion, the brain must reload the mental context of the original task. Facts must be recalled, arguments reconstructed, and the thread of reasoning rebuilt. That re-entry process takes time and mental energy. Studies suggest that frequent task switching can reduce productivity and significantly increase the likelihood of mistakes.

For lawyers, that is not a trivial concern. Legal work often involves sustained reasoning, attention to detail, and careful analysis. Interruptions break the flow of thinking that complex work requires. A brief diversion to check email may seem harmless, but it can derail the deeper concentration needed to analyze a case, draft a persuasive argument, or identify a subtle issue in a contract.

Task switching also creates cognitive fatigue. The brain expends additional effort every time it shifts gears. Over the course of a busy day filled with constant notifications, messages, and interruptions, that effort can accumulate into mental exhaustion. Lawyers may end the day feeling drained even if they have spent the entire time at their desks.

There is also a more subtle problem. Multitasking often creates the illusion of productivity without producing meaningful progress. A lawyer who spends the afternoon bouncing between inbox messages, document edits, and quick phone calls may feel busy all day but struggle to identify what was actually completed.

Fortunately, there are practical ways lawyers can reduce the negative effects of task switching.

One of the simplest strategies is to batch similar tasks together. Instead of checking email every few minutes, consider reviewing messages at set intervals during the day. Responding to several emails at once is far more efficient than constantly interrupting other work.

Another useful technique is to create blocks of uninterrupted time for deep work. Turning off notifications, silencing the phone, or using a “do not disturb” setting can allow a lawyer to focus fully on drafting, research, or analysis. Even relatively short periods of focused work can significantly improve productivity.

Lawyers can also benefit from setting clearer expectations with clients and colleagues. Not every message requires an immediate response. Letting people know when you are unavailable for a short period can protect the time needed for concentrated work.

Finally, it helps to remember that the goal is not to eliminate responsiveness but to protect attention, which is one of the most valuable resources a lawyer has. Legal practice depends on careful thinking, sound judgment, and precision. Those qualities are difficult to maintain in an environment of constant interruption.

Multitasking may feel efficient in the moment, but in reality it often slows us down. The lawyers who produce their best work are usually not the ones juggling the most tasks at once. They are the ones who give their full attention to the task in front of them and finish it well before moving on to the next.