The Myth of the Multitasking Mind
Niko V. Manoukian
Strategy → Systems → Scale | Practical clarity and structure for fast-moving founders and teams
What used to be genius is now just your morning.
Napoleon could dictate to three secretaries at once.
Each on a different subject.
Each without missing a beat.
That ability?
Once rare. Respected. Almost superhuman.
People studied it. Envied it.
Because it was unusual.
Now?
That same behavior is a checkbox on a résumé.
A “soft skill.” An expectation.
Not exceptional—just assumed.
We Don’t Call It Genius Anymore.
We call it multitasking.
And we treat it like it’s normal.
But ask yourself:
What if multitasking isn’t a strength—just a symptom?
A symptom of:
It Wasn’t Always This Way
We didn’t always need to check five channels just to feel caught up.
We didn’t reward people for splitting their focus to the point of burnout.
There was a time when doing one thing well wasn’t a flaw.
It was called mastery.
What We’ve Lost
Multitasking is now the default.
It’s not praised.
It’s presumed.
The result?
Focus Is Now the Edge
In a world of tabs, pings, and constant noise…
Real focus feels almost radical.
Like something we need to earn back.
But it’s not indulgent.
It’s smart.
Because focus is how we:
Focus isn’t just concentration—it’s direction.
It says: This is what matters now. Everything else can wait.
What If We Stopped Glorifying Multitasking?
What if we:
Because it is.
No one builds something meaningful by trying to do everything at once.
Not leaders.
Not creators.
Not changemakers.
They build by going deep.
By choosing.
By doing one thing with care instead of five things with exhaustion.
Let’s Rethink the Standard
🧭 Ask yourself:
What’s one area of your work or life where multitasking is the default—but focus would serve you better?
And what would it take to protect that space?
Your shift might give others permission to reclaim theirs.
🔊 Listen to the episode:
“The Myth of the Multitasking Mind” now streaming on Spotify.