Are you overwhelmed by tasks you are supposed to do, is stress controlling your life? Do you overreact to little things and regret it later? Maybe multitasking is to blame? Read on….
One of my biggest gripes with modern society is this all pervasive idea, which has nearly become dogma, that we all need to “multitask”. Most job ads require the applicant to be able to multitask. What I seem to notice is: the lousier the pay and the worse the job, the more mutlitasking is expected. Usually the ads target women.
Somebody coined the phrase: “Mutlitasking is a Myth”. I totally agree. The mind can only concentrate on one thing at a time.
The human brain is absolutely amazing, at the moment it is still superior to any computer. (I have been told that this is rapidly changing too….but at least for now this still is the case.)
“But a core limitation is an inability to concentrate on two things at once,” said René Marois, a neuroscientist and director of the Human Information Processing Laboratory at Vanderbilt University.
On his website he says: “We are particularly interested in understanding the neural basis of attentional capacity limits (e.g. Why can we only attend to very few objects at a time? Why can’t we select or execute more than one task at a time?).”
I am so glad that at least somebody is studying and looking into all these things. Often I feel like a lone voice in the wilderness.
How does all this relate to Yoga?
Yoga is all about living in the moment, being here now, focussing fully on the task at hand and then move on to the next one. Multitasking is incompatible with Yoga. I would go further than that: in my opinion it is inhumane. I am not objecting to somebody wanting to live their live that way as long as it is their choice. Nevertheless, it still has a negative impact on the people they interact with.
What I am objecting to is the fact that it has become the norm to expect people to multitask. In western society it has become mandatory to behave, work and live in a way that is contrary to all ancient teachings and that is physiologically impossible. Our brain simply can’t do it. End of story.
Recently I talked to somebody about the above issues and she said to me something along these lines: “But you are a woman, women are born to multitask, it is our natural strength, you should be thriving on it!” I was lost for words and still shudder recalling that conversation. I don’t agree.
My theory is that women were simply forced into this unnatural way of doing things by the fact that they usually are the main caregivers for the children and have to do dozens of other tasks as well. To put it simply: Lack of support.
It would be very interesting to find out how things worked out in ancient societies where women were in charge. Maybe men had to become the “natural” multitaskers because women were busy with more important affairs.
I leave you with the following thought: “Whatever you are doing at the moment, give your full attention to it. When working, focus on working. If you are eating, focus on eating. When you are playing, then play fully. And if you happen to be sleeping - sleep soundly and don’t let thoughts and worries deprive you of your sleep.”
Connie,
Your Yoga Partner
from
www.yogainahurry.com
