Multitasking.

Post Reply New Topic

People accuse me that I can't multitask. But I believe i do, but in a different way. I get so many tell me this that I tell them the truth. I say "I can multitask, but only one thing at a time".
I get thrown right off track if I multitask out of order. For me, I have to finish the last task I have in my mind before I start the next. The situations arrise when people ask "Why do you take severat trips back and fore when one trip would have done?"
Good question. It is I have to concentrate on completing the tasks as my mind thinks about them. If I try to do several things I end up doing nothing. I have to break it down. So if it means aalking a distance carrying a single small item.... If I don't do this I forget, and it all gets out of order.
Now it does not mean I don't multitask and group things so I carry several things at the same time to the same place. Sure, I can do that. Or that I cant carry a group of things to different locations... It depends on my frame of mind.
I don't believe anyone can really multitask. For example, to do this, one has to have a split personality where one personality handles one hand, and the other handles another hand and so you can then do two things at the same time. But for me... I just stick to plain old multitasking... Doing one thing at a time in order. Its how I get things done effectively and efficiently. Much better then standing there mind blanked having many tasks to do but doing none at all. (Yes. Been there. Done that! We all have!)

DON'T TALK TO ME WHEN I'M SCRAMBLING EGGS!
My husband still has a problem with the concept...

http://multitasking.labinthewild.org/multitasking/


Thank you!

Yeah...I’m pretty bad with this, too.

It depends on the kind of multi-tasking. Generalized life management....yeah I suck at managing everything and let things go to crisis constantly.

If it's a singular task that requires multi-tasking, I will be terrible at first, but as the mental and muscle memory kicks in from repetition, I'll end up doing it absurdly efficiently. The only problem is when unexpected changes happen in the routine; then I struggle.

I agree with MG.
If someone asks me to do something while I'm in the middle of doing something else, it tends to wipe my mind clean and I freeze. This has got worse with age.

I have a similar pattern to Dyad.

Dyad?

Ok. Get it now. I think...

I would say it very much depends on how different or similar the tasks are.

Multitasking makes people stupid. It causes a lack of ability to focus on anything.

Agreed, I can multitask in order. An example of how I successfully multi-tasked recently, when I had the littles over for a three day weekend visit.

I had set one day aside for work. I had to, we needed clothes to wear (laundry) and the grass needed mowing.

1. got kids fed
2. started laundry
3. started weeding flower bed
kids screaming
4. stopped working on flower bed
5. found out why kids were screaming
6. switched laundry
7. went back to weeding flower bed
kids hungry again (screaming)
8. fed kids
9. switched laundry/folded clothes and put them away
10. went back to flower bed
11. switched laundry
12. mowed grass
kids screaming again
13. helped kids
14. switched laundry
15. took shower
16. switched laundry
17. put out sprinkler so kids could play in it
18. switched laundry
19. kids ate dinner
20. put kids in bed
21. finished laundry
22. passed out from exhaustion

* as long as I keep rotating, I can do it. It's regimented and if two things come at one, I would have trouble, need to stop, prioritize and do the things one at a time.

About a week or two ago I was at the chip shop. While I was counting out the money to pay for chips the lady asked me if I wanted salt and vinegar. She had to ask again as I couldn't think to say yes or no and count at the same time. She said "Men can't multitask".

As long as everything does not come at once I am fine!