Multi-tasking screws me up.
It does you, too.
If you feel like you’ve lost the ability to focus, that you simply can’t settle down and get absorbed in your creative work or even a conversation with a dear friend, it’s not you, it’s multi-tasking.
Multitasking lowers your IQ and there is some indication from several studies changes our brain and coud lead to permanent impairment.
It also makes you less self-aware and less socially aware, maybe even less empathetic.
Most of all? Multi-tasking makes your life shallow.
Have you ever shopped, texted, and watched TV at the same time? Compare that to being deeply absorbed in a great movie. What’s the difference in your experience?
Or a visit with a friend where your phone is at hand – even if you don’t pick it up or you do so onlly to “google that guy’s name, it’s driving me crazy” versus phones away, and no time limit or agenda but connection?
Same with creating – the experience of being in your creative cave with nothing vying for your attention but your work or dipping in and out of writing between answering emails.
I believe multi-tasking — which includes having your phone where you can see it, news alerts popping up your screen, your email dinging, and even multiple tabs open — is the singlest biggest reason we don’t make more of what we want.
The singlest biggest reason we don’t live lives that fulfill us.
That we don’t create more of what we truly want.
That we don’t even know what we do want.
Why then do we multitask?
In my experience, one of the reasons is we are afraid that if we pay attention, acknowledge ourselves, and say “good enough” we will become lazy, fall apart, and never learn, grow, or succeed.
CAVEAT: Moms and caregivers. We often multi-task because we have no choice BUT then we let the habit invade everything. It doesn’t have to.
Check it out for yourself.
Try a day where instead of period of focus being the exception, periods of multi-tasking are.
Set a timer for one or two periods of task switching and the rest of the day, do one thing at a time. Caregiving, writing, paying bills, cleaning, whatever you need to do.
Truly give yourself permission to do one thing at a time.
Remind your brain — this is all I need to do.
While we may feel incredibly productive jumping around putting out a lot of fires, we’re actually 40% less productive when multitasking. As a bonus tip, the Freedom App has been great help for me for eliminating distractions and being more productive in my days. You can find out more and sign up here.*
Honestly, for me, it’s like discovering heaven.
Yet it’s a practice. It is NOT my nature to focus and technology is so damn sneaky. I have to hide my phone most of the day.
But the rewards are precious.
Here’s to being here for our lives and making more of what we want.
*If you purchase items on this site, I may earn a small commission. I am so grateful for your support, as always.
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