I have read in several books and blogs about the myth of multitasking. While we can multitask at times, such as talk and walk, it is only when one of the things being done is automatic or takes no conscious thought to do.
Our brains, like computers, can only think through one thing at a time. What we think of as multitasking is more like task switching. We switch between many different things in a short period of time, giving us the sense we are accomplishing more.
It is becoming more apparent through research that type of task switching is counter productive. It makes us look and feel busy, but is inefficient and wastes valuable time.
When Jesus comes to the house of Mary and Martha on his way to Jerusalem, Mary sits with Jesus listening to his teaching, while Martha is busy serving the disciples and others who have come to see him.
Martha, flustered, complains to Jesus and asks him to send Mary to help her. Jesus responds, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.” (Emphasis mine).
One thing is necessary.
He then says, “Mary has chosen the good portion which will not be taken away from her.”
One thing is necessary, and it will not be taken away.
This can be scaled from the big things, like saying “I do” to your spouse and “no” to everyone else for life, all the way down to “I’m working on Project X for the next 2 hours” and “no” to any other distraction for that 2 hours. After that you move on to the next one thing.
One final thing:
No project is completed until its objective has been achieved.
– Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
Further Reading
Two excellent books come to mind as I write this that explore this concept in much more detail. I have encountered this idea in many other books, but these two are a good place to start.
“The key is over time. Success is built sequentially. It’s one thing at a time.”
The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
“If it isn’t a clear yes, then it’s a clear no.”
Essentialism by Greg McKeown
