Are you multi-tasking or just being rude?

I am writing this blog while listening in on a conference call from my office. It’s OK though because I’ve got my phone on mute, so nobody can hear the clicking of my keyboard. It makes me feel like I’m getting a lot done to be multitasking like this. While I listen, I sometimes order my groceries, shop on the Internet, review my emails and participate on the call. Sometimes I send an email to someone else who is on the same call, so they know what I am up to – and guess what? Almost always, I get a reply instantly. Are we multitasking or just being rude?

Norman Fischer, a well-known Zen teacher, says there is no such thing as multitasking. When we think we are doing many things at once, what we are really doing is switching from one thing to another in rapid succession. According to Fischer, the brain can only consciously focus on one thing at a time, so we really cannot ever do one task with the commitment it deserves.

For instance, have you ever driven home from work on autopilot? When you pull into your driveway, you wondered how you actually got there? Your mind was on something else entirely! This is an example of not being conscious that could lead to tragic consequences.

At the least, multitasking is rude – to your friends, family, co-workers, and even yourself. At the most, it could cost you dearly – with a tragic accident or the loss of relationships.

I’m not sure why we all feel the need to move through life at warp speed. Even as technology advances, supposedly making our lives more organized and easier, we still cannot keep up with all the information coming at us all day long. I think back to my father’s generation, and he did not even have an answering machine. Yet he was a very successful businessman. I think we could all stand to slow down and be more mindful and present.

I admit that I am a multitasker, sometimes at the expense of common courtesy or present focus. But I am making a commitment to at least try to be more courteous and focused. I believe it will improve my health, my relationships, and my life. Gotta go, so I can pay attention to my conference call!