Why is multi-tasking bad for you?

Answer 1

It's impossible for humans and most upper-end animals to avoid multi-tasking -- ever have a conversation over dinner? Scratch your head while taking a walk?

However, in all animals and even in computers, there's an upper limit on how much multi-tasking one can do at one time. Too much multi-tasking means:

1. Not everything gets done on time
2. More and more time is spent switching from one task to another
3. Stress increases
4. Mistakes start to emerge.

The trick, as ever, is moderation in all things.