Julius Caesar, the hero who expanded the territory of the late Roman Republic and laid the foundation of the empire. He had his own superhuman time-saving secret.
While moving on horseback or carriage, he carried 3 or 4 scribes side by side, and dictated letters, military instructions, and historical records on different topics simultaneously. It was a parallel workflow that quickly shifted cognition to another topic while calling a sentence to one scribe. This parallel processing was the source of his overwhelming administrative capacity.
Today, BuildSelf looks at the cognitive principles behind Caesar’s ‘Simultaneous Dictation’ and how modern businessmen can emulate it to maximize task switching.
Historical & Academic Evidence
This content is based on Plutarch's Lives & Suetonius' Twelve Caesars.
1. Brain Plasticity That Increases Working Memory Capacity
Working memory is a kind of cognitive ‘workbench’ where the brain temporarily holds and processes information during decision making. This workbench has a limited capacity, so sudden transitions overload it, causing the previous task to be forgotten.
Caesar’s simultaneous dictation requires high attention control to activate the logic needed for the next scribe while the brain temporarily preserves the work information of each scribe. Brain science shows that this intentional fast task switching training strengthens the network of the prefrontal cortex, expanding working memory capacity and improving cognitive flexibility.
2. 3-Step Practical Routine for Modern Professionals
Build Task Pool and Determine Sequence
Clearly define task units and rank them, such as writing emails to be processed at once or planning draft mechanisms. This prepare stage allows the brain to move immediately to the next target without hesitation.
Voice Dictation Drafting
Use the smartphone's voice recognition memo feature instead of typing to quickly dictate the core thoughts and structures. Matching text input with the speed of logical development prevents bottlenecks.
Time Blocking and Inter-Task Switching
Set a 10-minute timer for each task, dictate with extreme focus, and immediately move to the next task when the time is up. Build multiple outline documents in a fast flow first, and then compile and edit them at the end.
3. Planned switching, not distracted dispersion
Simultaneous processing is different from smartphone multitasking, which mixes multiple tasks without focus. Like Caesar, you must aim for a 'serial single focus' where you focus entirely on one target at each moment and then plan to move on to the next topic to obtain high-quality results.
📌 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How is simultaneous dictation different from general multitasking? ▼
General multitasking disperses attention across multiple tasks at the same time, like sending messages while writing an email, causing delays. In contrast, simultaneous dictation has a structure of 'sequential single focus,' where you focus intensely on only one scribe at a time to write down, then sequentially and deliberately transition cognition to the next subject.
Can I practice this method by typing instead of dictating? ▼
Since typing speed is slower than the cognitive speed of expanding thoughts, bottlenecks are highly likely to occur. It is much more advantageous to pour out drafts through speech following the flow of thoughts using voice recognition memo tools, and then edit them in batches later to reduce working memory overload.
