Multi-Tasking

Not long ago, I was driving down the street when I noticed a young man beside me skateboarding on the sidewalk... and texting at the same time. (I wanted to grab my camera and take a picture - but I couldn't find it fast enough in my purse...) For me, balancing on a skateboard would be enough of a challenge without momentarily losing focus to type a text.

I remember when the term "multitasking" was a new expression. (According to one online dictionary, the term was first used in 1966.) A decade or two later we were being told that multitasking was a new essential workplace skill. Computers could multitask - people would have to learn how to as well.

For me, this was bad news! When I'm really concentrating, I get into a "zone" and don't even hear it when people talk to me! In fact, if I try to drink a cup of coffee while writing a blog post, the coffee invariably gets cold.

But it appears that young people, like the skateboarder, are doing it... with some success. Not so much the driver in front of me who is drifting from side to side in his lane, driving slowly - then suddenly picking up speed. When I pass him, I notice he's talking on a cell phone.

(Lucky for me I didn't find my camera. With my non-multitasking ability, I would probably have had an accident turning to take a picture while driving!)