We poor humans keep trying to do it, but we can never do it very well.
Our job descriptions will say we need to multitask, and in job interviews, we all sit in the chair across from a prospective boss, claiming we are the kings and queens of multitasking. “Oh, yes,” we find ourselves saying, “I can multitask like there’s no tomorrow. Watch me read ‘War and Peace’ while creating a killer PowerPoint and ordering lunch for the department.”