Context switching is the new multitasking

In an AI-assisted workflow, the real drag isn’t doing the work — it’s reloading your brain between tasks.

If you’re using AI properly, you’re giving it execution after you’ve done the real thinking.

That’s where AI really shines: researching, extracting, summarizing, coding, etc.

But then a new problem shows up.

While your assistant is busy, you don’t just sit there waiting. You start something else.

Usually in a different project. Different context, different constraints, different mental model.

By the time you switch back, the work is done… but now you need a minute to reload the context. Do that a few times and the drag becomes obvious.

People talk about this like it’s just a hard limit of the human brain.

I’m not convinced.

I think context switching is a skill we can train and support with better cues and better systems.

For example: if you code across multiple projects, use a different editor theme or workspace colour for each one. That small visual cue helps your brain recalibrate faster when you switch.

It sounds minor, but for me it’s been ridiculously effective.

If AI keeps increasing execution speed, then managing context cleanly may become one of the most underrated skills in knowledge work.