23 September 2014

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Mono-tasking

The word multi-tasking will probably be familiar to most readers. In fact, some may look at that word as a bit of an antiquity–after all, hasn’t multi-tasking become passé? We are increasingly expected to juggle dynamic livelihoods, careers, relationships, possibly families on top of all that.

Multi-tasking has become second nature, and that’s not necessarily a good thing when we approach exhaustion. When life has temporarily weighed upon us and, for reasons mental and emotional (and ultimately how that affects us physically), we just can’t go on like we used to. We become frustrated with ourselves.

Why can’t I be as mobile and energetic as when I was [place age here]? I used to be so good at “spinning plates” but they’re all crashing now. I just can’t get my head around things as quickly as I normally can.

The answer is to take it easy. In other words, mono-tasking. Yes, mono-tasking. Do one thing at a time, as much as it might be counter-intuitive to how we as a society have been expected to perform (and, I should add, since when did “performance” become so important–who’s watching?). We’re no good to anyone–our family, our employer, our friends–if we sacrifice our health for the sake of keeping up the appearance of nothing being wrong.

If you feel exhaustion coming on: mono-task. Give yourself a break.