Why Multitasking Is Killing Your Business: A Wake-Up Call for Founders, Entrepreneurs, and Executives
“Must be able to multitask.” Translation? “We need someone to juggle 10 things because we don’t know what matters.”
Introduction: The Job Ad Red Flag
“Are you good at multitasking?”
“No.”
“You’re hired.”
Sounds like a joke, right? But it’s deadly serious. In a world of overstuffed job descriptions and bloated requirement lists, this one buzzword has become a quiet assassin:
Multitasking.
It’s glorified. It’s misunderstood. And it’s ruining your team’s ability to deliver focused, high-impact work.
This blog is a call-out for founders, entrepreneurs, executives, and managers who still think multitasking is a strength. It’s time to kill the myth and lead smarter.
The Cult of the Buzzword
You know the job descriptions I’m talking about:
“Dynamic team player.”
“Proactive self-starter.”
“Strong interpersonal and communication skills.”
“Must be able to multitask.”
They sound impressive. They mean nothing.
These phrases are corporate wallpaper — pretty but hollow. The multitasking line in particular is a red flag disguised as a virtue.
Let’s decode it: “We need someone to juggle 10 things because we have no clarity or priorities.”
That’s not a job. That’s chaos.
What Multitasking Actually Does to the Brain
Here’s the real science:
Human brains are not designed to multitask.
What we’re really doing is task-switching.
Every switch comes with a cognitive cost.
In simple terms? You lose time and focus with every shift. Studies have shown productivity drops by up to 40% when people try to juggle multiple cognitive tasks.
Let that sink in: 40%.
That’s like burning two workdays every week.
Imagine a team of 10 people. That’s four full-time equivalents worth of output flushed down the multitasking drain.
The Founder Trap
Founders are the worst offenders :)
You’re building. Hustling. Pitching. Managing. Hiring.
It feels like you have to multitask.
But the best founders know how to shift from chaotic to intentional leader.
They learn to:
Prioritize like hell
Delegate ruthlessly
Protect their attention like it’s gold
Because it is. Your job as a founder isn’t to do it all. It’s to make the right things happen.
Executive Multitasking = Expensive Mistakes
Executives are paid to think clearly. To see patterns others miss. To make smart decisions under pressure.
Multitasking destroys all three.
If you’re writing a strategy deck while replying to messages and jumping into Zoom calls every 20 minutes?
That’s not leadership.
And the cost isn’t just in productivity — it’s in decision quality.
Every shallow decision you make while distracted can ripple out and cost your company time, money, and morale.
Managers and the Myth of the “Busy Hero”
Managers fall into the trap of being “always available.” WhatsApp. Email. Meetings. Reports. Zoom calls.
They become traffic controllers instead of value creators.
Being busy is not the same as being effective.
In fact, busyness often signals poor systems, unclear priorities, and lack of trust in the team.
What high-performing managers do instead:
Block focus time
Set expectations around response times
Train their teams to make decisions without them
It’s not multitasking. It’s smart task design.
Build a Focus Culture
If you’re a founder or executive, your team watches how you work.
If you glorify multitasking, they will too.
If you’re always “on,” they will be too.
And the collective output? Slower. Sloppier. Less creative.
Here’s how you shift the culture:
Ban “multitasking” from your job descriptions
Make deep work the norm
Design workflows that support focus (fewer meetings, clearer roles)
Model the behavior: protect your own calendar
Focus isn’t a luxury. It’s a competitive edge.
Hire for Focus, Not Juggling
Let’s rewrite the typical “multitasker wanted” job ad into something useful:
“We’re looking for someone who can focus deeply on meaningful work, prioritize effectively, and communicate clearly about progress.”
Now that’s a hireable skillset. Great team members aren’t circus performers. They’re value creators.
Give them the clarity and conditions to thrive, and they will.
Focus Wins in the Long Game
Multitasking might feel productive in the short term. But it’s a trap.
As a founder, entrepreneur, or executive, your real edge isn’t in doing more.
It’s in doing less but better.
Conclusion: Stop Glorifying Multitasking. Start Leading Smarter.
Multitasking isn’t a skill. It’s a business killer.
The next time you see a job description praising multitaskers, rewrite it.
The next time you catch yourself juggling five things, pause. Ask yourself:
• What’s the one thing that matters right now?
• What can wait?
• What can be delegated?
Focus isn’t easy. But it’s everything.
Drop the buzzwords. Lead with clarity. Build with intent.
Because the future belongs to founders, entrepreneurs, executives, and managers who protect their attention like their business depends on it.