[seeker1950]

Today, I cancelled a seminar I was supposed to attend for teachers this summer. I was thinking about all the other things I had going on, primarily my daughter visiting from Turkmenistan and not wanting to miss an opportunity to be with her and the grandson twins. But that's really just an excuse on my part. I've long recognized that I can't handle more than one thing at a time! When I was in grad school just a couple of years ago, I would drop classes down to just one because of the assignments, while watching others with similar and even more responsibilities take multiple classes. Because of this, it took me four years to finish the M.A.
I seem to be becoming more and more like this. I wonder why.
Does anyone else here have trouble doing more than one thing at a time?
Patty

We are not actually meant to be multitaskers...seems to me like you are just becoming human How wonderful that you know enough to give family your full attention when there is a chance to do so!

Hello, seeker1950. I seem to be the typical male who has to focus solely on the task at hand.

[sugahorse1]

I need multiple tasks, as I battle with concentration, and at least this way I can get something done.
But in the same breath, I tend to get overwhelmed if there's too much going on and I withdraw totally, especially in the depressive phase, and get nothing done
Catch-22

My t would tell you that there is no such thing as multi-tasking. Our brains only process one thing at a time (albeit sometimes in flashes of seconds). But I completely feel for you. The trick I've found is to only take on what I can handle and let the rest go.

[(JD)]

Farmergirl is right in that the brain can only think one thought at a time.

Also, that one thought doesn't solidify for 30 seconds, so if you move on to another thought before that, the original thought isn't held in the mind/brain! (This is great for changing bad thinking into good ...)

As with many other things, they have linked "multi-tasking" to alzheimer's.

You aren't alone. Find ways to cope: Recording machines, notes, calendars, alarm reminders, or even accommodations of notetakers, copies of presenter's notes etc.... I've become quite reliant upon my new iPhone for helping me.

[Rohag]

Originally Posted by sugahorse

...I tend to get overwhelmed if there's too much going on and I withdraw totally...

I'm right there with you, Sugahorse.

[seeker1950]

Wow! I'm really glad you all shared this with me. And, JD, I do find that making a list of things I need to accomplish helps. I get a feeling of satisfaction if I get even a portion of tasks done, checking them off, focusing on one at a time!
Patty

[Skully]

Having ADHD, I am always multitasking but not completing anything. I find that if I try and concentrate on 1 thing at a time I actually finish the project. But the battle is to only concentrate on the one thing and not 50!

[Fresia]

I once heard the true definition of multi-tasking is how to mess up multiple things at one time. LOL.

We really can only focus on one thing at a time; doing multiple things is distracting and just makes it longer to get any one thing done.

[onlymedid]

Oh gosh, I am right there with you....I can NOT multi-task. Even with two things, I get them confused.

[brilliant]

Making a list is awesome. It will give you an idea of what is most important to do first. I, too, get caught up in the multi-tasking, and then I can usually find myself *****y, annoyed, depressed, and scattered. Especially for women, we have been told by society that we are the multi-taskers, and that is just what we do, and we're even great at it. My gosh, housewife (if you are one), raising children (if you have them), cleaning house/laundry, cooking, shopping, bill paying, job or career, maybe even a business, perhaps education on the side, etc, etc, etc. Do I sense burn-out?? I think we need to think about ourselves more often than not, and what we want. I know I go back and forth. I get caught up in the multi-tasking, go through the moods, then switch gears. Sometimes the switching gears can take a while but I finally get out of my muck, eventually.

[seeker1950]

Originally Posted by brilliant

Making a list is awesome. It will give you an idea of what is most important to do first. I, too, get caught up in the multi-tasking, and then I can usually find myself *****y, annoyed, depressed, and scattered. Especially for women, we have been told by society that we are the multi-taskers, and that is just what we do, and we're even great at it. My gosh, housewife (if you are one), raising children (if you have them), cleaning house/laundry, cooking, shopping, bill paying, job or career, maybe even a business, perhaps education on the side, etc, etc, etc. Do I sense burn-out?? I think we need to think about ourselves more often than not, and what we want. I know I go back and forth. I get caught up in the multi-tasking, go through the moods, then switch gears. Sometimes the switching gears can take a while but I finally get out of my muck, eventually.

Hey, that's really a "brilliant" response! Thanks for putting it into the words that I couldn't !
Patty