One or Many at a time – Multitasking Myth!

 

Well, I am busy typing an email and then a whatsapp ping comes, so I go to check that, meanwhile a phone call comes, so I pick that, simultaneously, someone comes to meet me, so I go to greet, then the mobile rings, so I pick that.

I know there are so many like me who end up doing this on a daily basis. And there will be so many who asks, why not? I am not trying to say which way is better, that is handling one task a time or handling many at a time. What I intend to convey here, is the fact of being “productive” while all are being done, the “one” task or the “multiple” tasks, what should be thought through is how productive are we? It is very important to understand this as the time taken to do many things at one though might be very less, what gets neglected is the fact of how well are we doing these multiple things, are we just blindly performing it or are we actually applying some thoughts to it.

The answer is definitely a No, our brain is actually loaded with multiple instructions all going on in parallel. Yes, multitasking cannot be totally avoided in today’s fast and advanced technology life. While the benefits are manifold that we get access to information or people faster, no denial there but the truth is productivity gets lost. Instead of always being in a hurry, if we can spend sometime and not load our brains to achieve all at once to actually achieve perfection might fetch bountiful results, as you are more focused and more present than being lost in multiple things. We can try and see how much difference this brings and also see for a fact, how productive we are and how much more confident we are as we are right here doing only that. We need to also give our brains some rest for some sharp and focused thinking. Even while attending meetings, I think it is essential to pay more attention to the discussions and not miss out on anything important, especially avoid the tendency to check our phones or being busy making the meeting notes while missing the essence of the talking points. Thinking and doing is better than just to keep doing.  So let me ask you, which is better, Focus Vs Multitasking and what will you be your choice?

 

Avoid the “ME”

Emotion is a big rollercoaster ride, the more emotions we attach to any particular thing object, people or any aspects of our life, the more miserable we may feel when one day we have to disconnect from it. Yes, at times, we need to understand the mechanism of being a mere switch in our lives. “On” the attach button for things you really need and “off” the detach button for those you don’t. Avoid being EMOTIONAL, it will just back fire you. Trash the unwanted emotions or attachment on a daily basis like you would probably empty the garbage bin. Firstly, why are we getting so attached? It is but natural to feel this way, I am unable to still figure out how and why we get attached, but I know how not to get attached, I may sound negative but these small negativities are allowed as it will bring more positivity in your life. Rule number 1 is, to LET GO! Yes, practice the habit of letting it go when things don’t turn your way. No point stressing over a fact or a thing that has only caused disappointments, unhappiness. Follow the principle of “No Strings attached” in circumstances and you will begin to see changes which are good. It is not very easy as it may sound, it is only the more you practice this fact of avoiding emotions and facing the situation with much more courage.

To make you understand this better, let me correlate this to one of my experiences where I could have applied “No strings attached principle”. I was in a very good relationship with my friend where both of us took each other for granted, what happened because of this, she and I were thick of friends but in a mere chat or sms or group chats, it felt as though each one of us were not supportive of each other views in a common matter, it lead to misunderstanding and when explained, it did not seem important to my friend that our relationship was good all this while but just a trivial issue such as this has led to us not being in touch. Very juvenile, I agree, but these are the common things everyone faces. MISUNDERSTANDING in a communication, blame the technology that we forget to pick the phone and explain. But still, the point I am trying to drive here is that, misunderstanding can occur but how much of it affects you personally is what you need to gauge. If you apply a “No String attached” attitude here, perhaps even we could have stayed away from explaining ourselves and make it more ugly rather than make it more silly and fun. If we had cut off the emotions of “We used to be so close before” etc to “Hey, don’t take that personal”, would have been unintentional. If it really mattered, it would have been solved easily, it was not meant to be, so let it be J.

To simply put it, avoid ME to be a better YOU.