Now What? Context Switching Strategies

Is anyone really good at context switching? Our culture celebrates multitasking, but the truth is our brains just aren’t wired for it. Whether you’re a manager or an individual contributor, moving forward in your career inevitably means juggling a growing number of tasks—often of wildly different types.

Agency life, in particular, demands more context switching than most environments. In this session, we’ll explore the good, the bad, and the ugly of that challenge—and share practical strategies to stay organized, focused, and effective across shifting priorities. You’ll learn how to transition smoothly between projects, regain momentum faster, and build habits that make switching contexts less draining.

Spoiler alert: the key isn’t doing everything at once—it’s learning when (and how) to stop.

What You’ll Learn

• Why multitasking is a myth—and what’s really happening in your brain when you “juggle” tasks.
• How to reframe your to-do list as a priority queue for better focus and flow.
• Techniques for batching similar work and minimizing cognitive “travel time.”
• Practical ways to document, delegate, and offload mental load to reduce burnout.
• How to set clear waterlines and communicate priorities within your team.
• Small, repeatable habits that make context switching a skill—not a stressor.