Multitasking..task master
Tuesday, September 19th, 2006 | School, work
So, to truly maximize my time, I have now approached each second of the day with much fervor to accomplish as much as possible. This can only mean the true embracement of what we all have come to know and love as multitasking. It could also be a result of the incredible amount of workload in work and school that we are expected to accomplish over a short period of time. Therefore, it is to my own advantage to extract as many milliseconds of opportunity in a second that I can and applying it to doing something productive. Here are my strategies.
While driving in the car - listening to…..
Podcasts (The most ingenious of products out in the internet, i-tunes world today)
So far I have been; enjoying blips off of the BBC, getting dialect training for the next time I visit the U.K. ;
French language lessons, reciting phrases such as “Bonjour, Je m’appelle Kelly, j’habite Portland, Oregon, Vous presentez mon frere, Jacque, au revior, A bientot”.
In preparation for when I next travel to France, I will hopefully be far more fluent than the last time I was there. Which the extent was “Ummm parlez vous englais? Je voudrais cafe au lait, si vous plait, ou je suis desoulez” ( Please note spelling needs work too… when could I fit that in?)
While in the gym working out - this is quite harder as I usually run the 5 miles in an hour, I will have to take on the ellyptical so that I may read and move at the same time, it’s far too difficult to read and run, but the elliptical makes it easy. I finished reading a case in an hour while burning calories. Unfortunately, it’s not as intensive of a workout and will need to find more time for activities to get the optimum physical workout that running 5 miles provides. Yikes.
While cooking - Reading can take place there as well. Re-reading more like, highlighting and stirring with a whisk, that is talent.
I think that is the extent of my current multitasking abilities, until I find more. Of course I can already chew gum, walk & talk at the same time.
Soon, I might just be able to type up a paper while juggling with my feet, now wouldn’t that be some amazing accomplishment!
The Key here is
- Maximizing Time! Hmmmmmm.
7 Comments to Multitasking..task master
You should take up flying helicopters, then. There’s some multitasking for ya. 
Careful with all that, though. I’m living proof that multitasking makes you stupid…
Some of my favorite personal multitasking activities include swearing while driving, and swearing while cooking.
I tried reading while on the treadmill, but it didn’t work. Swearing on the treadmill, however, I pulled off beautifully. I’m still working on reading while on the stationary bike. If that doesn’t work…I’m sure I’ll think of something.
Snooks:
Yeah, I can certainly pull out the good swear words while on the treadmill, I’m a task master on that. Stationary bike.. now that’s a good reading opportunity. As long as you can get one of those plastic holder thingies. Those are like gold in the gym. It amazes me to see those people on the bikes with newspapers, I’m sure you could manage that.
Ghost:
Nah, not stupid…. more like the wit, rare and unique talent to spout out Monty Python isms in the blink of an eye. Surely you are “Brilliant”.
Stop, I’m blushing. Actually, there was an article somewhere that had bad things to say about multitasking, something to do with stress and the brain cells that handle mem…what was I talking about again?
I can’t do anything but listen to music on the elliptical. Okay, I can take a sip from my water bottle and turn my cap around backward so I don’t knock it off when I wipe my brow, but that’s it.
mirandaSeptember 21, 2006
I think multitasking creates more stress. Instead of successfully completing several projects, you’ve broken up your focus in many directions. In Kel’s case though, listening to podcasts etc. while driving is great. You exert nothing by listening. I’m sure people who have those long commutes have been doing that for a long time.
Although there are usually a hundred things going on at Greg’s, I find that having the Manager title helps greatly. Delegate, delegate, delegate.
At home the extent of my multitasking is reading, talking on the phone or watching Netflix stuff and making sure the kitties aren’t doing bad things. That in itself is an entire mutitasking course.
Miranda
“Cat herding”. Heh. I got asked to present a ‘what my job is’ slide set at my next team staff meeting. The first 6 slides are screen-captures from that EDS video about cat herding.
Long commute? Who has THAT?
Yeah, Ghost Dog, you are the king of the long commute.. that’s why you always get the cool techie gadgets, PSP and such!
Miranda:
Yes, delegating is definitely a key to accomplishing a lot things at one time, by other people. That’s a sign of a good manager too!
September 19, 2006