monotasking
pp. Performing one task at a time.
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Other Forms
Etymology
Examples
2005
What's wrong with monotasking? As a veteran of this activity, let me say that to soldier on in dogged pursuit of one thing-and one thing only-is a joy. Is it sexy? No, but it is effective.
—Dutch Mandel, “Pass (on) the Chalupa,” AutoWeek, July 11, 2005
2004
I juggle very badly, and the thought of a life of endless multi-tasking makes me want to crawl under the duvet cover and cry. I am only good at mono-tasking: that is, concentrating on one thing to the exclusion of everything else, like a small boy with a Lego set.
—Jenny McCartney, “The true Cosmo woman wouldn't dream of juggling roles,” The Sunday Telegraph, June 13, 2004
1998 (earliest)
Back in the lazy mono-tasking days, even if you were a multi-tasker, you didn't like to admit it. Multi-tasking seemed a failure of focus. It seemed impolite.
—Mary Schmich, “Once, success was measured one task at a time,” Chicago Tribune, November 13, 1998
Notes
The word monotasking has been around in computing circles since at least the early 1990s and is most often used to refer to an operating system that allows the user to run only one program at a time.