Blog

I’m finally reading a book that has been on my shelf for years, because I “haven’t had the time” (it’s called A Book That Takes Its Time). I’m making the time now, as my two-week trip to Africa has rewired my brain in a way that has me questioning what’s really important. The part that grabbed my attention explains the lie that is multitasking. I jumped aboard the multitasking train when I had many young children all clamoring for my attention. I thought if I could email while I made school lunches that would save time. But all it did was set me up for doing things twice, because I mangled them the first time. No kid, task, or thought received my full attention, and I felt scattered and exhausted at the end of every day. Since I value deep thinking, multitasking is downright poisonous for my contentment. If I’m only going skin deep on multiple things daily, I feel like I accomplish nothing, even if I clear my list. My “doing“ needs to be meaningful for me to feel balanced and complete. That’s why I like to dawdle in the early morning, before my task-oriented brain has really awakened. When I’m still in a dreamy state, my soul can make connections effortlessly about what it needs that day. And mostly what it needs is vulnerability, creativity, and a little spark of magic. You know that Aha! that happens when the creative brain connects two disparate things that have always gone together, only the rational mind couldn’t see it. Mostly because my rational mind is consumed with efficiency. I love a plan that comes together (too much “A-Team” in my formative years). But being efficient does not always equal a job well done. I don’t know how many times I said, “just a minute honey“ when a kid wanted to share a milestone with me, because I was already doing three things at once. I will spend the rest of my days apologizing to my loved ones. My regrets are all swathed in a lack of attention to things that really matter – a swapping of quantity for quality. Now I’m practicing a single focus to see what change it fosters. So far, I’ve learned that breaking the multitasking habit is like wearing a wool sweater on a hot day—REALLY uncomfortable! But slowly things are improving. I notice the birdsong in the morning, because I’m not playing a podcast while I make my coffee. I notice that I’m not walking into a room wondering why I’m there. I actually remember what I’m doing, because I finish a task instead of starting another one just because it catches my fractured attention. Time seems to be stretching, and I’m a lot calmer and quicker to laugh. I’m spending more time on the people I love, because I focus on them. I can’t change the past, but I am trying to live the adage, “When you know better, you do better”.
XO
Terri
Kick the multitask monster to the curb and email me all about it, and/or click here for Life Coaching!