Comments on: Do You Have Too Many Distractions?

By: Vinish Parikh

Vinish Parikh — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 03:16:54 +0000

Distractions are part of lifestyle now, few people can do only 1 work at a time and the primary reason for people opting for multitasking is hectic lifestyle and lack of time.

By: Mary Brown

Mary Brown — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 04:27:59 +0000

Sorry I’m hogging your comments…
Of course, the key in that comment is “If you want to …” If you are happy being a good multitasker, then your great ideas to learn to focus a little better are a great way to find out if you’ll like being focused at times, too.
My husband was telling me about an article on multitasking he read recently. It talked about an “illusion of competence” that people who multitask get. They think they are getting a lot done because they are doing all these networking things at the same time as their jobs (being college students, in this case) and are over confident about what they are actually capable of at work. I could post the link if you’re interested. The comments were interesting, too.
.-= Mary Brown´s last blog ..Wall Hangings and Blankets? =-.

By: Mary Brown

Mary Brown — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 03:51:13 +0000

It could be a matter of practice. If I want to get better at something the best way is to do it more, usually.
The closest I get to successfully multitasking is doing something while the clothes are in the washer and dryer (does that count?) and playing music or an educational CD while I eat, but only one meal a day, and this only works because I eat alone, usually. I have a routine: I read during breakfast, CD during lunch, and listen to voicemail during dinner.
I am very against (for myself) all the social networking stuff. I don’t see the point. Maybe I’m not a very social person…just opinionated. Hmmm…
.-= Mary Brown´s last blog ..Wall Hangings and Blankets? =-.

By: Mary Brown

Mary Brown — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 03:42:44 +0000

That picture reminds me of myself. I'm sitting there trying to fill out one form and 20 people come and go around me. .-= Mary Brown´s last blog ..Wall Hangings and Blankets? =-.

By: --Deb

--Deb — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 03:02:02 +0000

Mary, the sad part is that I am GOOD at multi-tasking, and much worse at uni-tasking (sigh).

By: Mary Brown

Mary Brown — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 02:56:41 +0000

I find the act of writing things down helps me remember better. I’m a little tactile, I guess.
A list gives me some peace of mind, too. I’m afraid I’ll forget things (a totally valid fear,) but once they’re down on paper I won’t. (I may not do them today, but they won’t be forgotten soon.) Since I have my notepad around to write things down, it’s there to look at, too.
The multitasking thing drives me nuts, probably because I don’t do it well. I keep my house quiet, generally. I haven’t watched TV at home in years. So when I go to a store or restaurant and they have the TV or radio going, I can’t think. I was at a new doctor’s office the other day filling out the requisite forms and was so distracted by the music on the radio I couldn’t remember my SSN.
I like your ideas, Deb. Let us know how it goes in a week or two.
.-= Mary Brown´s last blog ..Wall Hangings and Blankets? =-.

By: --Deb

--Deb — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 13:21:26 +0000

My problem with lists is that I make them but usually don’t bother to refer back to them, and since I hate wasting the paper, I soon stop making lists altogether, so … not terribly productive (grin).

By: J

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 04:27:15 +0000

Lists help me focus and remember what it was that I wanted to accomplish, but multitasking is definitely a problem. I work from home, and sometimes I’m distracted from a boring or sometimes complex challenge by a household chore. Sometimes this is helpful, as while I’m putting away dishes or folding laundry, the problem that I’ve been puzzling over is worked out, and I can go back to my desk and continue. But more often than not, these chores just take me away from my desk, and I suspect I’d get more done if I didn’t have so many distractions. And that is of course multiplied by the internet, facebook, blogs, etc. Though I don’t read or write as much on blogs as I used to. Stupid facebook.
.-= J´s last blog ..The Good Thief =-.

By: --Deb

--Deb — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 01:51:35 +0000

I agree–while exercising, multitasking is a must! Of course, most of my exercise involves walking the dog, and he provides plenty of distraction (grin)

And yes–using a timer is a GREAT suggestion.

By: amanda

amanda — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 23:20:20 +0000

This is actually a topic I’ve thought about a lot lately. I’m bothered not just by the availability of distractions but the expectation that we HAVE to use them – that we should be always available, always connected. I just want to say sometimes, “Slow down, relax, it will get done when it gets done.” Which is hard to say at work, of course! But I’ve definitely found that when I focus on one task at hand I get more finished and feel a greater sense of accomplishment, whether it’s a task of necessity or something fun.

Personally, I love lists. Even when all the items are small simple things, lists help me stay focused and track what I need to do (especially helpful when the outside world tries to force me into multitasking). I also sometimes like setting a timer–for x number of minutes I will focus on task “y” and only task “y”. Usually I find that when the timer goes off, I keep on at it, that focus has found me.

Of course there’s one area where I have to multitask–I simply cannot force myself to ride the exercise bike unless I’m reading something!
.-= amanda´s last blog ..Sunday Miscellany =-.