It feels sadly absurd, to do just one thing at a time. Although that sentence may feel equally sad and absurd to someone who understands and grasps the importance of singularity--doing one singular thing at a time. But for me it is something I am slowly rediscovering and having to relearn. I feel it's been robbed from me, the beauty of focusing on just one thing at a time--or perhaps it's something I've given away, bit by bit, distraction by distraction. Perhaps it's slowly eked away as I have allowed my time and attention to be split time and time again by the demon of multi-tasking. Yes, I said demon.
I used to think it was a talent--multi-tasking, but I am slowly coming to realize it's actually a theif: a thief of true attention and focus, a thief of your wits and emotions focused soley on one thing. Multi-tasking not only steals from you, it lies as well. It tells you: "you'll get more done" "you'll accomplish more" "you'll be better and more productive." But, I'm finding the very opposite to be true. It seems if I try to "do more" I actually get less done and I'm less satisfied. Because instead of doing 2-5 tasks well I end of doing 2-5 tasks poorly and not doing a single one well.
For example, if I try to brush my teeth, make the bed and listen to a sermon all at the same time I inevitably end up getting tooth paste on the sheets, not catching everything the pastor says and will have done a very poor job of brushing my teeth. Another example: if I try to drive, drink my coffee and talk to my mom on the phone all while headed to work I will most likly get coffee on my pants or not fully enjoy it, almost miss a stop sign and not be very present with my mother in our conversation. So, why do we do it? Multi-task. I believe it goes back to the lies, the lie that it's the "better" way, when in reality it's the worst way.
It hit me tonight while I was unloading the dishwasher. I was so tempted to turn on music or call someone instead of simply unloading the dishwasher and having that be enough--because it was enough. So, I did, I just unloaded the dishwasher, in slience, and it was great. There was an odd satisfaction I found in doing only one thing, instead of three or ten. That's when it hit me--"singularity." I'm rediscovering it. And I don't want to stop.
Here's to rediscovery. More to come...
