In today’s fast-paced workplace, employees are often expected to answer phone calls, respond to emails, monitor equipment, and complete tasks—all at the same time. While many people pride themselves on being good at multitasking, neuroscience tells us something very different:
The human brain has limited attention. When two tasks require conscious thought, our attention has to shift between them.
What we call “multitasking” is actually rapid task switching. Instead of performing two thinking tasks simultaneously, the brain quickly shifts its attention back and forth between them. Each switch takes time and mental effort, increasing the chance of mistakes, missed hazards, and injuries.
Not all multitasking is impossible. The brain can often combine an automatic task with a simple thinking task, for example, walking while talking. However, when two activities both require concentration, judgment, or decision-making, they compete for the brain’s limited attention. This is where errors become much more likely.
In a workplace where safety depends on attention to detail, understanding how the brain works can make the difference between preventing an incident and experiencing one.
How the Brain Processes Information
Our brains are constantly taking in information, making decisions, and deciding what deserves our attention. But our attention is limited.
When we concentrate on a task—such as operating a forklift, setting up a machine, performing maintenance, or completing an inspection—we are using our attention to process what is happening and decide what to do next.
When something interrupts us, our attention shifts. It may be a phone call, text message, radio communication, conversation, or even a thought about something happening outside of work.
That interruption may only last a few seconds, but getting back to the original task isn’t always immediate. We may forget where we stopped, miss a detail, skip a step, or need additional time to figure out what comes next.
Even after an interruption ends, it can take time to fully return your attention to the task you were doing. You may find yourself thinking, “Where was I?” or “What did I already complete?” That moment of uncertainty can lead to a missed step, overlooked hazard, or incorrect decision.
If you lose your place, don’t guess. Stop, check, and then resume the task.
The more often we switch between tasks, the more opportunities there are for something to be missed.
This is especially important during safety-critical work. A missed step, overlooked hazard, or wrong decision can have serious consequences.
The takeaway is simple: When the task is important, protect your attention.
The Hidden Cost of Task Switching
Many workplace incidents don’t occur because employees lack skill or experience—they happen because attention is divided.
Consider these examples:
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A maintenance technician answers a phone call while locking out equipment and forgets one energy source.
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A forklift operator looks down to read a text and doesn’t notice a pedestrian entering the aisle.
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A machine operator talks with a coworker while measuring material and cuts it incorrectly.
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An office employee responds to emails during an online safety meeting and misses an important emergency procedure.
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A driver talking on the phone, even hands free, while driving misses the traffic light changing color.
Interruptions also create another challenge: workers must mentally reconstruct where they left off. They may ask themselves, “Did I already complete that step?” or “What comes next?” The more complex the task, the greater the chance that an important action will be forgotten after an interruption.
If you lose your place during a safety-critical task, stop. Don’t guess. Take a moment to verify what has been completed, identify the next step, and then continue.
A simple rule to remember: STOP – CHECK – RESUME.
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STOP the task.
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CHECK where you left off and verify what has already been completed.
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RESUME only after you are confident about the next step.
None of these employees intended to make a mistake. Their brains simply could not give full attention to two thinking tasks at once.
Situational Awareness Depends on Focus
Situational awareness means knowing:
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What is happening around you
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What hazards exist
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How conditions are changing
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What could happen next
Maintaining situational awareness requires continuous attention. Every distraction reduces awareness and increases risk.
For example, a worker walking through a warehouse while checking a mobile phone may fail to notice:
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A moving forklift
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A wet floor
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An overhead load
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A coworker carrying materials
This loss of awareness can happen in only a few seconds. Hazards do not disappear simply because attention shifts elsewhere—they continue to develop, often without the worker realizing it until it is too late.
These are hazards that would normally be recognized if full attention were on the environment.
Dangers of Distractions While Driving
Driving requires constant attention. A driver must watch traffic, recognize hazards, judge distances, monitor changing conditions, and make decisions—all within seconds.
Hands-free does not mean distraction-free.
Talking on a phone while driving may leave your hands on the wheel, but your attention is still divided. You may look directly at something without fully processing what is happening around you.
A driver distracted by a phone conversation may miss:
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A changing traffic light
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A pedestrian or cyclist
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A vehicle entering their path
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Road or weather conditions
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A warning sign or other hazard
The same principle applies to forklifts, mobile equipment, and other vehicles used in the workplace.
If you’re driving, your primary task is driving. Put the phone away and keep your attention on the path ahead.
Common Workplace Distractions
Distractions come in many forms, including:
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Cell phones
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Text messages
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Radio traffic
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Emails
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Side conversations
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Loud noises
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Fatigue
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Stress
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Rushing to meet deadlines
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Constant interruptions
Not all distractions come from the environment. Internal distractions—such as fatigue, stress, frustration, or thinking about personal problems—can reduce concentration just as much as a ringing phone or conversation.
Distraction can also come from the pressure to get the job done quickly. Tight deadlines, production demands, equipment problems, staffing challenges, and the pressure to get equipment back online can all affect our ability to stay focused.
Some distractions are unavoidable, but many can be controlled through good work practices and planning.
The goal isn’t to eliminate every distraction. The goal is to recognize when your attention is being divided and take action before it creates risk.
Strategies for Staying Focused
Employees can improve safety by intentionally protecting their attention.
1. Finish One Task Before Starting Another
Whenever possible, complete one activity before moving to the next. Avoid switching back and forth between tasks.
2. Eliminate Unnecessary Distractions
Silence phones, close unrelated computer windows, and avoid conversations while performing high-risk work. Develop a cell phone use policy. Limit the use of cell phones while operating vehicles or mobile equipment. Allowing yourself a few minutes upon arrival at your destination to follow up on phone and text messages can make a significant difference.
3. Protect the Critical Task
Some jobs require our full attention. During these tasks, even a short interruption can create risk. Examples include:
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Lockout/tagout
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Machine setup or changeover
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Electrical work
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Crane or hoist operations
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Forklift and mobile equipment operation
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Confined-space work
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Critical inspections or measurements
Whenever possible, protect these tasks from unnecessary interruptions. Before interrupting someone who is performing safety-critical work, ask yourself: “Can this wait?” If it can, wait. If it cannot, make sure the worker can safely stop and respond before continuing the task. A few minutes of patience may prevent an incident.
4. Use Checklists
Checklists reduce the chance of forgetting important steps after an interruption.
5. STOP – CHECK – RESUME
If you’re interrupted during a critical task, don’t immediately jump back in.
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STOP: Pause the task.
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CHECK: Review where you stopped and confirm what has already been completed.
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RESUME: Identify the next step and continue only when you are confident you know where you left off.
If you’re unsure, don’t guess. Ask. Taking a few extra seconds to regain your place can prevent a much bigger problem.
6. Take Short Mental Breaks
Fatigue reduces concentration. Brief breaks help restore attention and improve decision-making.
7. Speak Up
If you feel rushed, distracted, or overwhelmed, communicate with your supervisor. If an interruption has caused you to lose your place or you’re unsure about the next step, stop and ask. It’s better to take a few extra seconds to verify than to guess and make a mistake that could result in an injury. Speaking up isn’t slowing the job down. It’s helping make sure the job gets done safely and correctly.
What Supervisors Can Do
Protecting attention isn’t just an employee responsibility. Supervisors and managers can help create an environment where employees can focus on safety-critical work.
Supervisors can:
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Plan safety-critical work to minimize unnecessary interruptions.
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Avoid distracting employees who are performing critical tasks.
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Give employees enough time to complete safety procedures correctly.
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Avoid creating pressure that encourages rushing or skipping steps.
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Support employees who stop to verify a step.
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Make it acceptable for employees to say, “I need a moment to finish this safely.”
Don’t just tell people to “pay attention.” Help create conditions that make it possible.
Safety Is About Attention
Every employee has moments when their mind wanders or they become distracted. Recognizing this limitation isn’t a weakness—it’s part of being human.
The safest workplaces recognize that human attention has limits. Rather than expecting people to “try harder,” they use good planning, standardized procedures, checklists, and work practices that reduce unnecessary interruptions and support focused work.
Attention is a safety resource—and safety resources need to be protected. Employees can protect their own attention by reducing distractions, slowing down when necessary, and speaking up when they need help. Supervisors and organizations can protect attention by planning work appropriately, reducing unnecessary interruptions, managing production pressure, and giving employees the time and support they need to perform critical tasks safely.
Don’t just tell people to “pay attention.” Design the work so they can.
The next time you’re tempted to multitask, remember: your brain isn’t designed to do two thinking tasks at once. It is designed to focus.
When you give your full attention to the job at hand, you protect yourself, your coworkers, and everyone around you.
Myth vs. Fact
Myth: Experienced workers can safely multitask.
Fact: Experience improves skill, but it does not eliminate the brain’s limits. Even highly skilled employees are vulnerable to distraction and task-switching errors.
Key Safety Takeaways
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The brain can consciously focus on only one complex task at a time.
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“Multitasking” is actually rapid task switching, which increases errors.
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Every interruption reduces situational awareness and reaction time.
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Eliminating distractions improves safety, quality, and productivity.
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Focus is one of the most important personal protective tools you have.
If you are interested in learning more about this, please contact your McConkey Business Insurance Executive or McConkey’s Director of Risk Solutions, Craig Irwin, at or (717) 505-3155.
