Why we can’t stop multitasking

To better understand how Firefox can support users, researcher Allison Robins explores our complicated relationship with multitasking.

We've all been there: a notification pops up, and suddenly we're responding - even if it completely derails our focus. It feels automatic, but it's rarely just about the task at hand.

As a staff product researcher on the Firefox mixed methods team, I wanted to understand why multitasking feels so hard to resist. It turns out it's not just about distraction. It's tied to deeper emotional needs like trust, security and belonging. We're not just reacting to a ping; we're protecting our place, our reputation, our sense of control.

And yet, the tools we use every day haven't caught up to this reality. Browsers are great at enabling multitasking. They make it easy to start up a bunch of tasks at once, but don't always make it easy to pick up where you left off.

To explore what happens when users get interrupted and what it takes for them to get back on track, I spoke with 12 folks who spend at least 4 hours per day working in their browser. Here's what I learned.

Multitasking isn't a character flaw - it's a survival strategy

We know multitasking makes us less productive. Constantly switching between tasks forces the brain to refocus each time, which slows down thinking and increases mental fatigue. That's why there are countless books, apps, and productivity gurus telling us to focus on one thing at a time.

The underlying message is clear: We're all just distracted by our devices, victims of shrinking attention spans who could stop multitasking if we'd just exercise more self-control.

But this framing misses what's really happening. Multitasking behaviors, like constantly monitoring and responding to messages, are often protective responses to deeper fears.

One participant explained this clearly:

I'm not very good at seeing a notification [where] someone's asked me a question, I know the answer, and being like, I don't need to respond now.'...

I feel like it's very much a confidence thing. I often feel like people don't think I know what I'm doing, so I need to show them by responding publicly in the Slack channel...I'm sure my therapist would have much to say about this, but it's generally wanting to come off not looking like I'm not knowledgeable...I want to make sure people have a good impression of me, so I'm not out on the proverbial streets, essentially."

Interruptions leave emotional residue

Interruptions trigger strong emotions like stress or frustration that linger after the interruption ends. One participant who coordinates clinical trials for cancer research described this vividly:

I have this huge panic reaction in my body when I hear my dog getting into something... Being interrupted is another stressful event, so that compounds the stress of the task at hand... I'm in this elevated state when I come back, and I don't have the privilege to sit and meditate or calm myself before I start, because these are urgent tasks. Someone's health is in the balance. It feels like a snowball of stress... I don't really regulate, I just do it stressed."

People will struggle to resume their original tasks until they've emotionally recovered.

Small wins reset momentum

After interruptions, participants tackled smaller tasks for quick wins to rebuild momentum and emotional stability. Unfortunately, many productivity tools treat these resets as distractions, using guilt as motivation. Participants were already beating themselves up over their inability to stay focused, so they didn't want tools that piled on more shame, preferring steady, judgment-free support.

Study participants didn't want tools that piled on more shame, preferring steady, judgment-free support.Simple strategies work best for getting back on track

When participants were interrupted, or sensed a context switch coming, they grabbed whatever surface was closest to them. A scratch doc, a sticky note, a temporary calendar entry, an email draft, whatever was accessible. Their goal wasn't to document everything about the task. It was just about leaving a quick note behind for their future selves.

The notes looked like:

• Left off in cell A254"
• Rewrite intro, lead with results"
• Need to follow up"

We call these mental scaffolds - rough, temporary support structures meant to hold just enough context. They were effective because they were accessible, simple and temporary. Once the task was resumed, the note had done its job and could be discarded without a second thought.

When participants used more complex productivity apps like Asana or Trello, it was usually because their teams required it - not something they chose for their own workflow. These tools were the opposite of the simple, accessible approach that actually worked for them. As one of them explained:

I tried Asana, Trello, all the project management tools. It's just too much. Some of these tools are like the Cadillac, and I'm like, I just need a Toyota that rolls off the lot and gets me from A to B quickly."

Participants stuck with imperfect solutions because switching felt risky when what they had was already working well enough:

I don't want to have to use [a new tool], especially if I have something that works for me. I'd love for it to be better, but I don't want another place I need to keep maintained."

Multitasking won't go away, but it can hurt less

Multitasking won't disappear. It's the product of systemic workplace pressures that are largely beyond any single company's control. But while Firefox can't fix the underlying forces that make multitasking feel necessary, we can reduce the toll it takes on people's brains and hearts.

Effectively supporting multitasking means reducing both its cognitive and emotional costs. Our opportunity isn't just to help users do more, but to help them do it better - by making it easier for them to come back, recover, and pick up where they left off in the browser.

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