Taking Things Seriously

This is something I still struggle with sometimes.

Doing one thing at a time.

Some might call it "being present", but I think "taking things seriously" is a more helpful way to think about it for me.

Over the last years, I have said "yes" to a lot of things I should have said "no" to. I've also been around a lot of people who always juggle several things at a time. I've even worked in environments where that was the main expectation.

Culturally, we have not gotten past the myth of multitasking yet.

Especially for women.

"Aren't women supposed to be good at multitasking?"

Anyway, sometimes, I am overcommitted and I do things that don't actually hold my attention enough. This happens both with things like chores, working on my singing, or making dinner as it also happens with "relaxing" things like watching a tv show or playing a video game.

I caught myself browsing my phone and "watching a show" at the same time just today. Clearly, neither by itself warranted my full attention. Or so I thought.

But there is a lot of value in only doing only one thing at a time.

The quality of your outcomes improves dramatically. This is true for both "relaxing things" and "work things".

But that is not the only benefit.

If you can only do one thing at a time and you expect that thing to hold your full attention, you also get pickier about what you do.

You might skip the tv show because it doesn't hold your attention. Perhaps, you watch something else or do something else.

You prioritize more and don't stumble from one thing to the next as much.

Also, the people around you will probably benefit as well because nobody likes to deal with a distracted person all the time.

Lastly, I notice that the things I take most seriously also make me feel the best after doing them. That goes for making dinner just as much as for the music.

Perhaps, the depth of attention we pay to something has some influence over how satisfying we find the activity.