Should we stop multitasking?
Something I've noticed over the last few years is how we all tend to juggle lots of different things at once. We are all trying our best to maintain all the different parts of our lives, whether that be work, social, family and home life. We all become part of a multitasking society where it's the norm to move from one thing to the other and do two things at once. Is it seen to be more efficient of our time?
It is almost celebrated when we seem to be moving at a certain pace with all the "to do lists" of life ticked and done. I've been there -- that moment when you've done all your errands, the house is clean and tidy and you've done that job you'd been putting off! So you *fist pump the air* (no?...just me then!!) and pat yourself on the back. Yes, success - winning at life! However, how did you get to that place? Did you resemble a headless chicken or a serene calm person as you navigated those tasks? And more importantly did you multitask?
I know my default when I have lots to do, can be to multitask and whilst I'm not staying it is ridiculous or wrong to do this, I'm just aware of three keys things that can occur when I multitask; 1. Reduction in focus 2. Mistakes happen 3. Loss of interest 1. Reduction in focus
Focus is super important to me. As my focus goes the next two points follow quickly.
2. Mistakes happen
I've re-read text messages, blog posts and emails where I make little to, no sense!! I was obviously doing something else whilst writing
3. Loss of interest This is almost at the heart of multitasking. We loss interest so we start something else OR we try to do something else alongside side. It can become the fuel to the multitasking fire, which inevitably leaves me no closer to finishing what I'd started. Even though part of my brain thrives on the multitasking regime. It's not really for me. So, I have to really practice presence. Take one little step at a time. Finish what I'm doing then move on or nothing gets finished. Is this sounding familiar? OK, so let's now take this principle into our yoga. The nature of multitasking can mean we scatter our attention and energy. Instead of pin pointing our focus it has to be broadened, stretched and pulled to cover the multiple tasks at hand. My believe and experience is, that this can lead to energy depletion and low productivity of the task outcome. This now leads me onto highlight an important point and question: What is the role or purpose of multitasking? We have to be honest (satya) about why we feel the need for this fast paced task busting mentality. I feel as though it is driven by accomplishment and the act of "doing". From this, we can then form attachment -- we become attached to the idea of ticking off tasks and feeling as though this act supports our highest good. We as practitioners and students of yoga can therefore learn a lot from this.
Patanjali's yoga sutras discusses various ways to reveal (or rediscover) our true nature of happiness and union. It is not about accomplishments (sorry, yes even nailing a yoga pose is not the road to our true happiness, but you know that right?). We are taught our contentment comes from within and through a space of presence and that familiar concept and term of non-attachment. Buddhism agrees with this understanding and teaches us also that, "contentment (santuññhi) is the ability to be happy and fulfilled in one's present state." So, not basing our happiness on the things we are doing or the things that are to be done. Let us utilise the yoga teachings to bring ourselves into presence and let us see if, even for one hour, we can release the pull of multitasking.
Sending you a heartfelt namaste x
