Multi-tasking Myth!

We’ve all been fooled into thinking that we can juggle a million things at once. Watch TV, surf the internet, upload photos to Facebook, listening to music and doing our homework… all at the same time!!!

My goodness… we’re superhuman!

As I tried to work my way through seminary, I quickly realized that some of my classes were poorly designed and were quickly bogging me down.  The assigned reading was broken down into a few pages out of several different books each week.  Since I was reading these books online, I was wasting a lot of time trying to pickup where I had last left off… not to mention a bad internet connection!  In one class I had to read one set of chapters and answer questions in completely different set set of chapters.  I understand this was designed to force us to review, but my snail-powered internet connection was about to get the best of me.  There were multiple papers, assigned interview, and reports.   Everything was disjointed and jumbled.

I was at wit’s end.  I had too many plates spinning, and this was happening during this period of my life when I had far too many things going on.  I had just started a new position at work.  I was in a different country learning a new language and culture.  I was planting a new church that included preparing and preaching weekly.  I was teaching a small group, handling the multimedia setup, designing banners, keeping up several websites, trying to spend time with the family, and taking a full load of classes at seminary!  Well, you get the picture.  To make it work I had to be completely organized.  My only problem had to do with the fact that I had no say in how my classes were structured.  They definitely did not fit my way of thinking.

What about the multi-tasking option?

Let’s be perfectly clear.  It doesn’t work!  While it may appear that it does, it really is an inefficient way to deal with a large number of tasks. While there are certain small and easy jobs that can be handled this way, I found that most of what I was doing couldn’t be finished with this inefficient stop-and-go method as I vacillated between several tasks. I was burning myself out and leaving things undone.

One day I set up a clock on my computer and figured out that at best, I had 15 minute chunks of uninterrupted time. I decided that I would focus these chunks of time in getting things done. My small projects were being knocked out and checked off my list really fast. If I had a big project, I would string several of these 15 minute chunks together. The interruptions were easily handled because I wasn’t switching tasks, and could maintain my thinking patterns across the interruptions.

Applying this to my seminary classes made all the difference in the world. The ridiculousness of stop and go reading was eliminated. I would read one book straight through and do all of the assignments associated with that book. Done! Then I would take the next textbook and do the same thing. Done! Then I would tackle writing a paper straight through. Idea, research, outline, write, correct, and turn it in. Done! The lazer-like focus enabled me to knock out projects efficiently and get better grades than I otherwise would have.

In the end, I was doing far more things in far less time, with much better results. I was actually enjoying what I was doing and learning with much less stress than when I was running back and forth trying to keep all of those plates spinning.

So don’t fall for the multi-tasking myth. Focus your undivided attention on whatever it is at hand. Whether you’re talking with your spouse or kids, reading you Bible and praying, or writing a paper about the Hypostatic Union of Christ… whatever it is, give it your complete and undivided attention. You’ll quickly see how much more relaxed and enjoyable life becomes.

Question: In what ways are you able to apply this idea in your life?

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