A Little Secret...Multitasking Doesn't Exist!
When you’re a family caregiver, your list of to-dos probably feels endless: doctor appointments, delivering medications, prepping meals, shopping, scheduling home visits, not to mention caring for your own family, working, and, oh, trying to carve out a few minutes of peace and quiet… and that’s just Monday.
In order to tackle the exhaustive list of responsibilities, many family caregivers say they multitask to get it all done in the least amount of time. I define multitasking as conducting two (or more) unrelated activities simultaneously.
The truth is, multitasking simply doesn't exist. Our brain doesn't function that way. Research has shown the brain can only process one activity at a time. However, what the brain is extremely good at is rapidly switching from one task to another.
MIT neuroscientist Earl Miller says, “Switching from task to task, you think that you’re actually paying attention to everything around you at the same time. But, you’re not.” You’re really toggling between tasks at amazing speeds.
For decades, we’ve been lead to believe that people who are effective multitaskers have either genetically inherited this unique ability, or, through constant practice, have acquired the skills required to function at higher levels than the rest of us. Interestingly, many family caregivers actually aspire to be proficient multitaskers because they believe it’ll eventually make life easier for everyone.
I’ll admit that I was one of those people who thought he was effectively multitasking. And it felt pretty good to tick off boxes on my to-do list, even though I often felt scattered and frustrated, because “completed” well, just didn’t feel… “completed.” Research actually shows people trying to conduct more than one task at a time are less efficient, more distracted and can experience higher levels of stress and even reduced memory.
I realize that a certain amount of multitasking is somewhat inevitable given the amount family caregivers have on their plates each day. But there are several new habits you can adopt to mitigate stress and enable you to task-focus more successfully:
1. At the start of each day, prioritize your tasks into three groups: the tasks that you must do, tasks that you should do and finally those tasks that you would like to do. Focus only on the “musts” — everything else is icing.
2. For family caregivers, uncertainty is the only certainty, so when unplanned events pop up, hit the pause button and see where to include these last-minute tasks on your to-do list. Just because a task comes up unexpectedly, doesn’t mean it’s automatically a “must.”
3. Ask for support. As you schedule your day, identify a family member or friend that can lend a hand and then ask for help. Asking for help can be empowering.
4. When things go haywire, step away for a few minutes. The simple act of changing your physical position and or place has a tremendous emotional impact. Once you’ve reclaimed your calm, return your attention to your “must” list.
5. Know that multitasking might feel comfortable, like an old shoe, but making a concerted effort to narrow your focus will help you avoid feeling overwhelmed.
So, please include these suggestions into your daily routine, but I recommend trying them one at a time!
Help yourself. Help others.
