--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 99 percent of us cannot multitask." description: "\"“99 percent of us cannot multitask.”\" — Daniel H. Pink" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/daniel-h-pink-1532_percent_99-percent-of-us-cannot-multitask-179891_1798911.png" --- # 99 percent of us cannot multitask. ![“99 percent of us cannot multitask.” quote by Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/daniel-h-pink-1532_percent_99-percent-of-us-cannot-multitask-179891_1798911.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/daniel-h-pink-1532_percent_99-percent-of-us-cannot-multitask-179891_1798911.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/daniel-h-pink-1532_percent_99-percent-of-us-cannot-multitask-179891_1798911.png) > ““99 percent of us cannot multitask.”” [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Most people struggle to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, leading to reduced performance. **In simple terms:** Multitasking is hard for most. Key Takeaway Focus on one task at a time. Themes productivity focus cognition Mood reflective practical Type advice observational When to use this quote - workplace - studying - driving - home chores Key Concepts cognitive load attention span Questions to Reflect On - Can you identify a task you could batch? - How does single‑tasking improve quality? A Different Perspective Multitasking can be useful in low‑complexity tasks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [99 Percent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/99-percent/) [Percent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/percent/) [Percent Multitask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/percent-multitask-2014312/) [Task](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/task/) ## Related quotes > [As someone who came to New York in the 1970s, I was, like so many of my friends, a certified member of what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graydon-carter/as-someone-who-came-to-new-york-in-the-1970s-i-was-like-so-many-of-my/) [Graydon Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graydon-carter/) > [Leadership is the key to 99 percent of all successful efforts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erskine-bowles/leadership-is-the-key-to-99-percent-of-all-successful-efforts/) [Erskine Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erskine-bowles/) > [I'm trying to make pop records for the middle-class, lower-middle-class - pop for the 99 percent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-reed/i-m-trying-to-make-pop-records-for-the-middle-class-lower-middle/) [Ricky Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-reed/) > [It's a lot like life. I think 99 percent of what goes on in life, we have very little control over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-van-slyke/it-s-a-lot-like-life-i-think-99-percent-of-what-goes-on-in-life-we/) [Andy Van Slyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-van-slyke/) > [You're one of 6.5 billion people now on the planet, and 99.9 percent of your genes are the same as everyone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shields/you-re-one-of-6-5-billion-people-now-on-the-planet-and-99-9-percent/) [David Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shields/) > [Truly 1 percent of this country serves and protects the freedoms of the other 99 percent of us, so many of us don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/truly-1-percent-of-this-country-serves-and-protects-the-freedoms-of/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [Peter Thiel and I disagree on 99 percent of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ro-khanna/peter-thiel-and-i-disagree-on-99-percent-of-things/) [Ro Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ro-khanna/) > [I do care about not 99 percent or 95 percent. I care about the very rich and the very poor. I care about 100 percent of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/i-do-care-about-not-99-percent-or-95-percent-i-care-about-the-very/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [“Is it healthy for a society to entrust its defense to one percent of its population, while the other 99 percent thanks its lucky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/is-it-healthy-for-a-society-to-entrust-its-defense-to-one-percent-of/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [99.99 percent of all species that have ever lived are no longer with us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/99-99-percent-of-all-species-that-have-ever-lived-are-no-longer-with/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [Look, I always say this, 99 percent of people in the UFC would be gone if they have made $100 million.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artem-lobov/look-i-always-say-this-99-percent-of-people-in-the-ufc-would-be-gone/) [Artem Lobov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artem-lobov/) > [“energized and emboldened delegates of the Third Estate, the “99 percent”—in reality, closer to 96 percent—of the French population who paid the bulk of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-reiss/energized-and-emboldened-delegates-of-the-third-estate-the-99-percent/) [Tom Reiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-reiss/) > [I think 99 percent of the time, texting your ex is a horrible idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jp-saxe/i-think-99-percent-of-the-time-texting-your-ex-is-a-horrible-idea/) [JP Saxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jp-saxe/) > [When you read the news, and you see all this bad stuff happening, there's a tendency to lose faith in humanity. But I meet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-galecki/when-you-read-the-news-and-you-see-all-this-bad-stuff-happening-there/) [Johnny Galecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-galecki/) > [Golf is like 99.9 percent of my life, and then there's school. I don't get much time to go out with my friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-ko/golf-is-like-99-9-percent-of-my-life-and-then-there-s-school-i-don-t/) [Lydia Ko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-ko/) ## More by Daniel H. Pink > [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [“morning people to be pleasant, productive folks—“introverted,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/morning-people-to-be-pleasant-productive-folks-introverted/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [“tweeters felt active, engaged, and hopeful—generally rose in the morning, plummeted in the afternoon”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/tweeters-felt-active-engaged-and-hopeful-generally-rose-in-the/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [“The longer it takes for a boss to respond to their e-mails, the less satisfied people are with their leader.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/the-longer-it-takes-for-a-boss-to-respond-to-their-e-mails-the-less/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [For creative tasks, the best approach is often just to hire great people and get out of their way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/for-creative-tasks-the-best-approach-is-often-just-to-hire-great/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [“The less evidence of extrinsic motivation during art school, the more success in professional art both several years after graduation and nearly twenty years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/the-less-evidence-of-extrinsic-motivation-during-art-school-the-more/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [If you look at the very best presidents, the most effective presidents, they were always decent salespeople. Ronald Reagan was an extremely effective salesman,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/if-you-look-at-the-very-best-presidents-the-most-effective-presidents/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [“the more they chat and gossip—the more they get done”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/the-more-they-chat-and-gossip-the-more-they-get-done/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [“continuing to think about job demands during breaks may result in strain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/continuing-to-think-about-job-demands-during-breaks-may-result-in/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [“The quality of the problem that is found is a forerunner of the quality of the solution that is attained . . .” Getzels concluded.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/the-quality-of-the-problem-that-is-found-is-a-forerunner-of-the/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [When we make progress and get better at something, it is inherently motivating. In order for people to make progress, they have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/when-we-make-progress-and-get-better-at-something-it-is-inherently/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [“innovation and creativity are greatest when we are not at our best”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/innovation-and-creativity-are-greatest-when-we-are-not-at-our-best/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [“Temporal landmarks slow our thinking, allowing us to deliberate at a higher level and make better decisions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/temporal-landmarks-slow-our-thinking-allowing-us-to-deliberate-at-a/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [“Jobs that offer autonomy but little challenge bore us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/jobs-that-offer-autonomy-but-little-challenge-bore-us/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [“richest experiences in our lives aren’t when we’re clamoring for validation from others, but when we’re listening to our own voice—doing something that matters,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/richest-experiences-in-our-lives-aren-t-when-we-re-clamoring-for/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) [Explore all 230 Daniel H. Pink quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) ## More Percent quotes > [In the past 40 years, the United States lost more than a million farmers and ranchers. Many of our farmers are aging. Today, only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/in-the-past-40-years-the-united-states-lost-more-than-a-million/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [Less than 8 percent of private sector workers belonged to a union in 2004, and, overall, only 12.5 percent of American workers carry a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/less-than-8-percent-of-private-sector-workers-belonged-to-a-union-in/) [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) > [Ninety-eight percent of the things that come out of my mouth are intended to be harmless or even charming. They're not ever intended to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/ninety-eight-percent-of-the-things-that-come-out-of-my-mouth-are/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [It's the same with this idea of a literate public, and also of a democracy in which people have access to and really read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/it-s-the-same-with-this-idea-of-a-literate-public-and-also-of-a/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [You can’t bake a cake without getting the kitchen messy. Halfway through surgery it looks like there’s been a murder in the operating room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/you-can-t-bake-a-cake-without-getting-the-kitchen-messy-halfway/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [Ninety percent of all human wisdom is the ability to mind your own business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/ninety-percent-of-all-human-wisdom-is-the-ability-to-mind-your-own/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [I'm not interested in making a diagnostic novel or a concern. I'm 100 percent committed in fiction to the pleasure principle - that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/i-m-not-interested-in-making-a-diagnostic-novel-or-a-concern-i-m-100/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [We still have 10 percent of the sharks. We still have half of the coral reefs. However, if we wait another 50 years, opportunities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/we-still-have-10-percent-of-the-sharks-we-still-have-half-of-the/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [The knee just isn't 100 percent. It's hard to be out there when you know that you can't play at your best and could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serena-williams/the-knee-just-isn-t-100-percent-it-s-hard-to-be-out-there-when-you/) [Serena Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serena-williams/) > [It concerns me when people frame the conversation about equal pay about the entertainment business. I don't want the wage gap issue to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-arquette/it-concerns-me-when-people-frame-the-conversation-about-equal-pay/) [Patricia Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-arquette/) > [Eighty percent of language lies to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deena-metzger/eighty-percent-of-language-lies-to-us/) [Deena Metzger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deena-metzger/) > [When it comes down to music, I have no balance. I am 100 percent. It is like full throttle. Five hundred miles an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanni/when-it-comes-down-to-music-i-have-no-balance-i-am-100-percent-it-is/) [Yanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yanni/) > [Playing shortstop is 75 to 80 percent anticipation, knowing the hitter and the pitch being thrown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-boudreau/playing-shortstop-is-75-to-80-percent-anticipation-knowing-the-hitter/) [Lou Boudreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-boudreau/) > [When we built Roomba, we explicitly designed it to not have a face. We didn't want to think it was cute; we wanted people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-angle/when-we-built-roomba-we-explicitly-designed-it-to-not-have-a-face-we/) [Colin Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-angle/) [Browse all 3,616 Percent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/percent/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“99 percent of us cannot multitask.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Daniel H. Pink" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/99-percent-of-us-cannot-multitask/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Percent" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/99-percent-of-us-cannot-multitask/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/daniel-h-pink-1532_percent_99-percent-of-us-cannot-multitask-179891_1798911.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/daniel-h-pink-1532_percent_99-percent-of-us-cannot-multitask-179891_1798911.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eaf/daniel-h-pink-1532_percent_99-percent-of-us-cannot-multitask-179891_1798911.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“99 percent of us cannot multitask.” — Daniel H. Pink", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Daniel H. Pink", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“99 percent of us cannot multitask.”", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/99-percent-of-us-cannot-multitask/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/99-percent-of-us-cannot-multitask/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```