For a long time, I used to watch videos, listen to podcasts, or take in other content while I coded.

At first, it felt productive.

I was making better use of my time by writing code and learning something new.

Eventually, I decided to try something different.

I stopped playing anything in the background and started working with full focus. No videos, no podcasts, no extra noise—just coding, thinking, and building.

The first days were surprisingly difficult.

After so much time working with background content, the silence felt strange. It was like something was missing. My mind was used to extra stimulation, so taking it away felt odd.

But after some time, something changed.

I noticed I could focus better and solve problems more easily. I tackled tough technical challenges longer, and my overall performance improved significantly.

The difference was not small.

Without anything playing in the background, both my productivity and the quality of my work improved a lot.

However, I also realized that there is an important trade-off.

Many people with demanding jobs, especially those with a lot of responsibility, do not have much time to take in new content. Their work involves constant decisions, communication, and problem-solving. Over time, this can make them feel as though they are missing out on opportunities to learn or enjoy things they like.

For me, the solution was not choosing one side completely.

I came up with a simple way to split my workday into three parts.

The first part of my day is for deep work. I do not play anything—no videos, no podcasts, no distractions. This is when I focus on tasks that need the most thinking and creativity.

The second part is usually for meetings and conversations. I do not try to multitask here because talking with people needs my full attention. I focus on the people and discussions that are part of my job.

The last part of my day is for tasks that do not need as much brainpower. Since I have less energy by then, I sometimes listen to podcasts or watch YouTube videos while I work. This way, I can keep learning while doing easier tasks.

This approach works for me, but there is something important to keep in mind.

Right now, my job gives me a lot of freedom to plan my time, set up meetings, and organize my work. Not everyone has this kind of control, so this way of working might not be possible for everyone.

The main lesson from this experiment was not that multitasking is always bad.

It was that different types of work require different levels of attention.

Deep thinking needs silence.

Collaboration needs presence.

Routine tasks can sometimes create space for learning.

The main thing is to know what kind of work you are doing and set up the right environment for it.