When I recently read Jeannie MacDonald's Work It Mom article -- on why we should stop multi-tasking -- I felt like she was spying on me. Jeannie, you caught me.
I'm the mother who washes dishes while drilling her daughter for tomorrow's spelling test. I'm the parent who checks email while helping her kid finish that report on pandas.
Jeannie's reasons for ceasing all multi-tasking, however, do not fit me. I'm not trying to "top" another mother. I'm not being "competitive."
I'm the 35-year-old solo mother of a second grader. It's that simple. We have no contact with her father. I work 40 hours a week, go to soccer practice and games, write a few blogs, pay the bills, grocery shop, cook, have play dates. I finished my taxes this morning. I sent out birthday party invitations.
Oh, and did I mention that I'm trying to date, too?
Multi-tasking stresses me out, but what can I do? Maybe I need a new gadget to help me focus on one thing at a time?
In a recent Work It, Mom! Q & A, Lylah M. Alphonse said that Google Calendar makes her life easier. I've tried Google Calendar, but I'm old-fashioned. I carry around my "At-A-Glance" calendar. I love the
feel of paper. I love crossing things off lists.
Victoria swears by her Blackberry, and Molly Gales says that her palm pilot is the best. Do any of you swear by these gadgets?
I depend on my laptop, but resist getting another electronic gadget. Am I alone on this one?
In the meantime, I'm signing off for a conference call with my editor. I'll try my best not to check email when I'm on the call.
I'm learning as I go along. I would love to know how multi-task without losing your mind.
About the Author:
Rachel Sarah is the author of "Single Mom Seeking: Play Dates, Blind Dates, and Other Dispatches from the Dating World" and the single-mom columnist at Lifetime TV. She blogs at www.singlemomseeking.com/blog.
One thing I have to do is not try to multitask at some point during the day even just for 15 minutes.