Sparked by a discussion in class this past Wednesday, I have become extremely aware of my absolute inability to multi-task. The example somebody gave in class was listening to music or playing a TV show in the background while doing homework.
How the shit do people do this? Moreover, how do people do this successfully? Even while writing this post I decided to play a song that I have recently fallen in love with and I have had to take five breaks from writing to just enjoy the music. When I do homework or any other cognitive task, I have to isolate myself in a room away from any person, sound, or image that might distract me.
The culture in my generation has led me to believe that my inability to multitask is something negative or alienating, and until this past year, I believed that too.
But perhaps my brain is just an older model than the ones that surround it. Perhaps I have the right idea, and life is about devoting our attention to one thing at a time. When I go for a walk I am present in the natural life that surrounds me. When I watch a TV show, I am present to absorb all of the information that is provided to me.
I have spent a lot of time trying to train myself to be able to multitask when in reality, that may have been my biggest distraction. From this point forward, instead of fighting the way my brain works, I am going to try to accept it and take advantage of the positives that come from singular focus.
April 20, 2015 at 12:57 am
Funny you bring this up. I too have proven to be awfully unsuccessful at multitasking, however I find myself always trying to prove that I can. Today we are filled with distractions that lead us to think multitasking is possible. However, every time I attempt to take in more than one medium at a time, I never get what I want to accomplish completely done. Even while studying, I have classified Enya’s music to be relaxing and a great pairing to my books. But when I look back and think how much more I could have accomplished while not listening to music, I am bummed at my ignorant decision to continuously listen to her Pandora station. So needless to say, I agree with your opinion on how impossible multitasking can be.
April 24, 2015 at 6:18 pm
I’m the same with listening to music, I cannot help but be influenced by it when I write. Outside noises just make me zone out. Recently my roommates were watching tv while I was writing an essay, I started to zone out while I wrote and then when I went back i’d transcribed bits of the dialogue instead of writing my points. I’ve given up on multitasking, I go from one errand to the other.