Multitasking – See.  Perceive.  Act.

If you’re a mom with littles, former procrastinators, and you cook dinner, you know what it is to multitask.  If you’re employed and your child is sick, you understand multitasking. I applaud my own mom who wore many hats well -while keeping first things first. Happy Mother’s Day, ladies!

Sometimes performing multiple jobs at one time is unavoidable.  But it helps to realize that choosing to multitask often works against us.  This is especially true for folks who tend to delay.  It makes us feel overwhelmed so we avoid the work.  Or we might use “too much” as an excuse for neglect.  We get frustrated and irritable.

Foolishly, I used to pride myself on my ability to multitask. Yet, honestly, in a given moment, how many things can a person focus on?  There’s the key: focus.

Some point out that the brain handles one focus at a time.  Yes, the brain does many things at once that we do not control.  But for what we control, it’s one at a time. That means when we approach something as part of multitasking, we make the job larger and more complicated.  We switch attention back and forth.  These hinder us.

Some say you can’t do two high focus jobs at once, but that you can do a low effort task at the same time as a high focus one. Maybe listening to music while doing a high focus job. (Not me.  I’m distracted by music, but I can clean house with tunes on.)  My favorite is laundry at the same time I read or write.  When the laundry goes in, I walk away with a smug feeling that I’m getting two things done at once, then I forget about it.  I concentrate on the study or writing.  When the timer goes off, I tend to the laundry.  This gives me an eye break and recharges my brain.  Repeat the process.

A friend and I chatted at her front door.  I asked her, “How do you get so much done?”  She homeschooled and was involved in several ministries and activities.  Her answer was immediate.  “I do one thing at a time.  Look at my house.”  I stuck my head in the door and saw that things were a bit out of order.  That particular time period was for children’s ministry.  Crafts, story papers, and art work were her focus, not household duties.

Two things help me in this regard.  1)  When I have a choice (which is often) I focus on one thing at a time.  2)  I can anticipate a need for multitasking (such as dinner prep and children or guests).  Then I prepare whatever’s possible ahead of time, freeing me to focus more on people.  Apply this to many situations in which needs occur at once. Anticipate and do whatever’s possible in advance.  Lessen stress.  See.  Perceive.  Act.

It’s amazing how much more we can do this way.  And do it better.

What multitasking times can you simplify?