“Studies show that the human mind can only truly multitask when it comes to highly automatic behaviors like walking. For activities that require conscious attention, there is really no such thing as multitasking, only task switching—the process of flicking the mind back and forth between different demands. It can feel as though we’re super-effeciently doing two or more things at once. But in fact we’re just doing one thing, then another, then back again, with significantly less skill and accuracy than if we had simply focused on one job at a time.” ~ Christian Jarret
How many times have you caught yourself doing a project that takes a lot of concentration and then you have a conversation with someone. All of a sudden there is that pause of silence and you look up. Your conversationalist is waiting for an answer but in fact you never really heard the question or what they were talking about. (yup I do that :0)
We are so used to doing so many things at one time from checking our email and talking to our kids to grocery shopping and talking on the phone. Have you surfaced from these things only to realize you were not very present with the conversation and you also did a less than stellar job at the second task.
You see that whole notion of being super productive and multi tasking, that is doing two or more things at once is a fallacy. There is no such thing as being able to think of two things at a time. It occurred to me this morning while I was meditating using a mantra that the mantra keeps me focused on one thing and when I turn my focus away from the mantra then I think about other things. Again no such thing as multitasking especially when I am meditating!
Even the mundane things take some thought - I often listen to a podcast while I am folding laundry only to realize I am not able to totally listen with accuracy what they are saying.
So do yourself a favor - do one thing at a time. That's the simple way of mutitasking!
How many times have you caught yourself doing a project that takes a lot of concentration and then you have a conversation with someone. All of a sudden there is that pause of silence and you look up. Your conversationalist is waiting for an answer but in fact you never really heard the question or what they were talking about. (yup I do that :0)
We are so used to doing so many things at one time from checking our email and talking to our kids to grocery shopping and talking on the phone. Have you surfaced from these things only to realize you were not very present with the conversation and you also did a less than stellar job at the second task.
You see that whole notion of being super productive and multi tasking, that is doing two or more things at once is a fallacy. There is no such thing as being able to think of two things at a time. It occurred to me this morning while I was meditating using a mantra that the mantra keeps me focused on one thing and when I turn my focus away from the mantra then I think about other things. Again no such thing as multitasking especially when I am meditating!
Even the mundane things take some thought - I often listen to a podcast while I am folding laundry only to realize I am not able to totally listen with accuracy what they are saying.
So do yourself a favor - do one thing at a time. That's the simple way of mutitasking!
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