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I'll admit I believe what science tells me. If a neuroscientist says the human brain is incapable of focusing on more than one thing at a time, I'm apt to agree. But as a social scientist, I feel compelled to study the reason why human beings attempt to do the impossible anyway. Let's say it's in my nature to inquire about such things.
Recently, I observed a woman who was carrying a baby, a bag of groceries and a mobile phone to her ear. She tried to toss change into the parking meter while continuing to chat and perching her baby perilously on her hip. It made me wonder why she didn't put down the bag, the phone, and her desire to do several things at once.
Multitasking, like parenting, is so personal that when you ask people why they do what they do, they are apt to don the cloak of defensiveness.
"It...I...,uh, well, I have to. And besides, who are you to ask?"
Because you seem unhappy and I'm wondering if there's another way of looking at this.
We multitask because we think it is necessary. We think we need to race around like a headless chicken because that is what we were taught was normal. In fact, it is not normal to move at the speed of light. Light moves that fast. We don't.
Watching octopus lady continue to gab on her wireless connection, I pondered our collective sense of urgency. It is tempting to hang on to behaviors that give us excitement and, yes, drama. On some level, multitasking is fun. It is also a way to avoid completion. We simply couldn't get it all done because we had so.much.to.do.
The painful truth is we are the master of our own ship. What would happen if you stopped attempting to do two or more things at one time in just one area of your life? Would you be more focused, less stressed, more joyful?
Take this poll and tell me what you think. Is multitasking really a must or a myth?
