tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27104799.post1372213748658144041..comments2023-05-20T09:02:44.267-05:00Comments on Sphinx Ink: UnitaskingSphinx Inkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03429797402360703839noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27104799.post-16944875925905243082008-03-19T14:34:00.000-05:002008-03-19T14:34:00.000-05:00C.S., I agree about kids' brains being different--...C.S., I agree about kids' brains being different--when I was a teenager I could study with Top-40 radio on. Now it would drive me crazy. And kids now have far more than radio to distract them....<BR/><BR/>Charles, I'm lucky not to have constant interruptions during my regular workday, but just hearing people talking outside my office makes it hard for me to focus.<BR/><BR/>Lisa, I like your phrase: "We need time to let our thoughts evolve naturally." I agree totally. I often wonder about people who can't sit and be with themselves, by themselves. It worries me. <BR/><BR/>Sidney, a 12-step program may be necessary...I can hear it now...<BR/>Me: "Hi, my name's Sphinx Ink and I'm a multitasker." <BR/>Chorus: "Hi, Sphinx Ink, welcome." <BR/><BR/>Nicholas, you make a good point about the necessity of multitasking. Multitasking is required in many parts of our lives. My discussion relates more to multitasking when writing, reading, or doing something else that requires a particular type of mental effort. <BR/><BR/>Steve, glad the discussion is a helpful nudge.<BR/><BR/>Rae Ann, at your stage of life multitasking is probably easier than at my stage. As a mother with young children, you HAVE to multitask a lot of the time. Just remember to slow down when you can, so you can practice focusing on one thing at a time. Otherwise, you'll get to my age and feel like a multitasking addict, e.g., "Help, I'm multitasking and I can't stop!"Sphinx Inkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03429797402360703839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27104799.post-17305622739328732152008-03-16T17:49:00.000-05:002008-03-16T17:49:00.000-05:00Very interesting. I definitely agree that multi-t...Very interesting. I definitely agree that multi-tasking often makes me feel like I get nothing done and must resort to actually crossing things off of a list to see any progress. <BR/><BR/>Thanks for sharing this interesting research. It certainly is a good promo that we don't have to constantly multi-task to be smart, efficient, etc.Rae Ann Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10844280766504375384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27104799.post-7294062761384423472008-03-15T15:12:00.000-05:002008-03-15T15:12:00.000-05:00Good advice I often fail to heed. This despite the...Good advice I often fail to heed. This despite the fact that my most prolific periods are when I do just the one thing...<BR/><BR/>Thank you for the reminder.Steve Malleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17561234111786788616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27104799.post-19541053100729878532008-03-13T09:29:00.000-05:002008-03-13T09:29:00.000-05:00I too have wondered about multi tasking and I beli...I too have wondered about multi tasking and I believe that it is in our genes and is a part of the evolution of homo sapiens and has to do with propagation of the species. I look at my daughter and how she cares for her ten and six year old daughters and marvel at how she is able to vigilantly watch one as she tends to the needs of the other at the same time over and over again. <BR/><BR/>When I was younger I too could multi task and often wondered about my ability to carry on two conversations at one time and felt that it was just a skill I developed as a result of my very talkative extended family. When I lost the ability, I speculated that I've been out of touch with my family and had lost the knack. Then as I got older I realized that I was wrong on both counts. It's not a knack that you can lose, it's in our genes. They turn on when we approach child rearing age and then shut down after we leave child rearing age. Multi tasking and other such things is why homo sapiens are survirors of the fittest. <BR/><BR/>And, of course, if we multi task too much we can develop burn out, another innate skill developed by homo sapiens to tell ourselves that we've gone too far.Nicholas Genovesehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00504396107928663672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27104799.post-21982072818527034112008-03-11T05:12:00.000-05:002008-03-11T05:12:00.000-05:00That's good information. I had heard theories that...That's good information. I had heard theories that it was not as efficient, and I believe that's true. I will seek to follow the how-not-to advice. Maybe a 12-step program is needed.Sidneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16284680909152676159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27104799.post-35690611085895577092008-03-10T21:33:00.000-05:002008-03-10T21:33:00.000-05:00I've consciously cut down on my multi-tasking quit...I've consciously cut down on my multi-tasking quite a bit in the last four years, but I used to be TERRIBLE. I've had a blackberry for years and would read email, talk on my cell phone, drive, etc. all at once. I finally realized that I wasn't doing anything as well as I should have been and I was stressed and cranky all the time. Now I watch other people and notice (especially in airports) that most people have to have some kind of external stimulus all the time, whether it's the cell phone, iPod or TV. I'm with Charles -- our brains need downtime to recharge. We need time to let our thoughts evolve naturally. I think I get less on my "to do" list done, but what I don't get done isn't all that important in the end. I hope something happens to reverse the trend where kids seem to be in constant need of outside stimulus. How in the world does one develop an imagination with no time to think?Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00665632105920753931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27104799.post-59936198874917172972008-03-10T09:54:00.000-05:002008-03-10T09:54:00.000-05:00I've been saying for years that kids are hurting t...I've been saying for years that kids are hurting themselves by filling every free moment with more phone calls and so on. We all need quiet time to think, and I crave it so much. I do multi task but it's largely because I have to at my job. I'm constantly being interrupted to deal with another issue. I definitely believe it is less efficient, and sometimes it is a way to actually avoid hard work.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27104799.post-69415636329501457922008-03-10T04:02:00.000-05:002008-03-10T04:02:00.000-05:00I think the brains of our children are wired diffe...I think the brains of our children are wired differently as a result of the age they've grown up in. My daughter can't study without the TV on; she says it forces her to focus. <BR/><BR/>I've never been much of a multitasker. I'll go for a walk and talk on the phone, or read a magazine during commercials on those few occasions when I watch tv. Oh, and I sweep on the phone, too. Otherwise, I need to focus.cs harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13708705800818667923noreply@blogger.com