I didn’t realize until recently that multitasking was such a heated topic.

My own multitasking habits weren’t something I ever really considered until I started doing some research. And, frankly, I’m shocked at the number of think pieces that either vehemently oppose or fiercely defend the practice of multitasking.

Those of you who have read my previous blog posts can probably guess that I don’t like absolutes. Just like I think there’s no one right way to, say, charge a client, I also think that there’s no right way to multitask.

That said, I can share what works for me. And for me, there are times where multitasking is a great idea, and times where it’s not.

When Multitasking is a Bad Idea

There are certain times where I never multitask. For example, I don’t multitask for clients who pay me by the hour. It wouldn’t feel fair to bill them for the time that I don’t spend on their project.

Outside of that, there are types of projects that I don’t enjoy multitasking on. Things like blogs, press releases, and similar long-form writing need my undivided attention.

This is because I often need to hold the same train of thought for an extended period of time, and jumping between projects breaks that train. It winds up being more detrimental than helpful, in the end.

When Multitasking Is Helpful

That said, there are times when I do genuinely prefer multitasking.

If I’m writing things that are short form — short descriptions, tweets, and similar things — I find that I actually benefit from switching between tasks. It helps me stay alert and fresh, and keeps me from getting too repetitive or bored with the material.

Editing also benefits from swapping between documents from time to time. When I read the same thing for a long time, I start to phase out grammar mistakes and typos. Swapping between things keeps them fresh.

What do you think? Are you for multitasking, or against it?