Working on multiple projects simultaneously feels productive. Progress everywhere. Options open. Momentum diversified.
In reality, it is one of the fastest ways to slow everything down.
Every project carries cognitive context: goals, constraints, open loops. Switching between them incurs a cost. That cost compounds throughout the day.
The single project rule is simple: work on one primary project at a time until it reaches a clear completion point.
This does not mean ignoring all other responsibilities. It means choosing one project as the dominant focus for your deep work.
When focus is unified, progress accelerates. Problems stay warm in your mind. Solutions emerge faster. Quality improves.
Multitasking projects creates the opposite effect. Each session begins with reorientation. Each interruption dissolves momentum. Days feel busy but unproductive.
The resistance to single-project focus is emotional, not logical. It feels risky. What if priorities change? What if you choose the wrong project?
These fears are understandable but overstated. Progress on one completed project almost always beats partial progress on many.
Choose your single project deliberately. Ask which project, if completed, would create the most leverage or relief.
Define what completion means. Not perfection—done enough to move on.
Protect your focus time fiercely. When other projects surface, capture them and return to the current one.
Sequential completion creates visible wins. Wins create motivation. Motivation sustains momentum.
One project at a time produces better results faster. Focus is a force multiplier.