Emery and I were sitting on the playroom floor. We had the blocks dumped out. All the books were spread across on the floor. A few random toys were scattered about – and then he knocked over the sweetgrass basket full of wooden letters. I looked around and it was all the toys all at once. I don’t think he could even concentrate on what to play with next.
As he reached for another bin of toys, I said “Let’s play one thing at a time. If you want to play blocks, let’s put away the books and letters. If you want to read, let’s pack up the blocks so we have room to sit on the floor.”
He halfway obliged and we started building a multicolor tower that was “soooooo tall.”
My little master of destruction got me thinking about my own tendencies.
How many times a day do I try to do ALL. THE. THINGS. at once?
Cook dinner, while feeding him dinner, while checking email, and keeping an ear out for the washing machine, and making edits to a recent blog and texting with a friend who’s in the newborn trenches of reflux…
I think they call it… multi-tasking.
Oh multi-tasking. I have prided myself for quite sometime on being an expert multi-tasker. Able to juggle several things at once and eventually get them all done in some form or fashion. Maybe its a brain thing to keep yourself from getting bored with one task too quickly – a few seconds of attention here and then – time to move onto the next item in the rotation.
We trick ourselves into believing we are getting more done in less time. But are we? I’d venture to guess we’re creating more stress for ourselves in the process.
Think about it.
What happens when you have too many applications open on your phone?
It sloooooowwwwwssss down and freezes.
What happens when you have a million tabs open in your web browser?
The tabs are so small you can’t read the words to even know what to click back on.
On a larger scale, when we overcommit ourselves we get spread so thin we can barely see ourselves anymore.
And sister, us women are like the good butter you get at fancy restaurants. You want to slather it on. No one wants just a thin little layer.
You are capable of doing it all – but when you try to do it all at once, it’s difficult to do it well and with joy.
Joy is the secret ingredient (besides the fancy butter) that takes simple tasks and turns them into memorable moments.
Joy is the secret ingredient that takes simple tasks and turns them into memorable moments.
When we try to do so many things at once, we naturally feel like we are neglecting one of the other items – it’s in our nature. We turn our attention out of obligation, not joy.
When you intentionally stop and tackle one item on your list at a time, you’re fully present and able to live in the moment.
The act is simple, but the reward is great.
You’re a wife, a mom, a worker, a sister, a servant – you have a laundry list of things to do in addition to that growing pile of laundry. I get it. I’m right there with you.
But what if you chose just a few parts of your day where multitasking wasn’t allowed. You allow dirty dishes and unanswered emails to wait until you get back.
Pull the high chair over to the table and eat lunch with your little guy. Talk to him while you munch and make it a special Mommy lunch date.
Snuggle into the couch with your babe while they watch their favorite show. Interact and laugh at the funny parts. Point out animals or colors they might recognize.
Leave your phone in the other room during bath time. Get those creative juices flowing and make up a story featuring all their toys. Bask in how their little minds take it all in and learn to play pretend.
Heck, make diaper changing a sweet time by singing a silly song. Whatever your daily routine looks like, look for intentional time of non-multi-tasked attention.
At a previous job, we always had a mile long list of to-dos, limited manpower and pressure deadlines. When all the things in front of us were important tasks, it was difficult to choose just one to focus on. I coined the phrase “The most important thing, is the most important thing.”
The most important thing is the most important thing.
What is the very most important thing in the moment?
Do that next.
Check it off your list and then do the next very most important thing in that next moment. Sometimes the most important thing is getting dinner in the oven or grabbing a shower so you’re on schedule for the rest of the day.
Other times, the most important thing is sitting on the playroom floor as your littles begin to dump out all the toys.
Clear the tabs in that marvelous brain of yours.
Prevent overwhelm.
Do one thing at a time.
