I can no longer multi task now I am older

[Sirfluffalot67]

I'm in my early 50s. I used to be able to actively listen to the tv while simultaneously texting on my phone. Last night I missed a whole chunk of something I was watching - key details - while I took 5 minutes to text (or thought it was only 5 minutes) on my phone. In my mind I was still listening to the tv, but in fact I didn't even know this part of the programme had been missed.

This is just one example. There are now a lot of other scenarios I can no longer multi task within.

is this age? peri-meno?

It could bemenopause related if you have brain fog,.when my b12 was low I felt so so weird and disconnected from things so it might be worth getting that checked out.

I could never really concentrate properly when the TV or radio or music was on- I clearly remember having music on when I was supposed to be doing my homework as a teenager and honestly all my attention was on the music and it took me hours to do the work and do it very badly.
Now I'm getting elderly I can listen to the radio or music and knit or do a jigsaw but I certainly can't do either, or text , or read , with the tv on. I can't hold a conversation with distraction noises in the background either because I can't concentrate.
I actually find now I enjoy sitting in silence, something I never ever did most of my life.
I assume with myself the increasing lack of toleration of noise is age related.

Same here, I used to be able to listen to my teens whilst doing another task. I now have to focus entirely on what they are saying or I miss it!

Yep I've lost the ability to multitask (late 50s). Even trying to focus on my shopping list in the supermarket if there is a loud noise (kids screeching usually), becomes impossible! I literally freeze.

It appears we don’t really multitask, we just alternate our attention from one task to another in quick succession.

But I agree with you that it seems more difficult as I get older.

I now find that if I keep my hands busy with something fairly mundane (knitting, colouring, ironing) then I can watch TV properly, but it also stops the temptation to pick up my phone.

It was never multi tasking, just switching attention.