Therese Huston, PhD - Multitasking Myths, Focus & Real-World Brain Health
Cognitive scientist Dr. Therese Huston shares practical, research-backed tools to improve focus, reduce stress, and strengthen the brain through simple daily habits.
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Episode Overview
Cognitive scientist Dr. Therese Huston joins The FitMind Podcast to discuss what modern neuroscience reveals about focus, attention, and the persistent myth of multitasking. Drawing on her research in cognitive psychology, she explains why switching between tasks taxes the brain’s limited resources, leading to more errors, elevated stress, and reduced clarity.
Dr. Huston describes how multitasking can briefly lift mood but undermines deeper concentration over time. She discusses strategies for regaining focus, including time-blocking, setting clear boundaries around attention, and using binaural beats to enter a state of sustained concentration. She also explains how brief breathing exercises and short bouts of movement can stabilize the nervous system and improve cognitive performance.
The conversation expands to the broader science of brain health, covering topics such as neuroplasticity, BDNF, and the role of aerobic exercise in supporting memory and neurogenesis. Through accessible explanations, Dr. Huston connects everyday habits to measurable changes in brain function, showing how small, consistent shifts can lead to sharper and calmer states of mind.
P.S. — If you’re serious about starting or deepening your meditation practice, check out the FitMind meditation app.
Therese Huston Bio
Dr. Therese Huston is a cognitive scientist who has spent more than two decades translating neuroscience and psychology into practical tools for everyday life. She earned her PhD in Cognitive Psychology from Carnegie Mellon University and later founded the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Seattle University, where she also served as a professor of psychology. Her mission is to make complex brain science accessible, helping people think more clearly, focus deeply, and make better decisions.
As a speaker and consultant, Dr. Huston has delivered hundreds of keynotes and workshops for leading organizations including Microsoft, Amazon, Morgan Stanley, and Harvard Business School. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Time, and The Guardian, among others.
She is the author of several acclaimed books, including Sharp: The Practical Guide to Brain Health, How Women Decide, and Teaching What You Don’t Know. Through her writing and talks, Dr. Huston bridges rigorous research with real-world application, offering clear strategies for focus, performance, and lifelong brain vitality.
Show Notes
00:00 | Intro to Dr. Therese Huston
07:45 | Wellness overwhelm and how she filters research into usable habits
10:06 | Why “practical” matters more than trendy protocols
12:20 | The multitasking myth: short-term mood boost, long-term costs
17:09 | Live demo: single-tasking vs alternating tasks
19:40 | Errors, brain activity, and stress during multitasking
21:51 | Escaping the multitasking loop with timers and clear agreements
24:30 | Focus tools: how to use 40 Hz binaural beats
28:47 | Why multitasking feels productive and how to reframe arousal
32:33 | Before a talk: “excited, not anxious” and stress-as-fuel
36:03 | Guided 5-2-7 breathing and what it does in the body
41:18 | CO₂, vagus nerve, and decision quality after breath cycles
43:19 | Rethinking “amygdala hijack” and protecting prefrontal control
48:18 | BDNF, neurogenesis, and an aerobic exercise target for memory
51:24 | Dance, social connection, and brain longevity
52:53 | Quick fire: myths to ditch and personal focus resets
54:45 | Exercise snacks and team culture ideas
Website: https://www.theresehuston.com