Ok, not really, but multi-tasking can hurt your ability to focus. Since when did the ability to “multi-task” become the thing to do, an ability to be cherished? I bet you flex this multi-tasking muscle every day, especially on a conference call. You press mute and tap away at the computer to handle a myriad of other activities (or some of you don’t press mute...hmmm). Although we think that we can multi- task, our brain can handle only one thought at a time. Everything else gets shoved to the side. Sometimes this leaks into our ability to communicate. How many of us multi-task when we are in a face to face conversation? How many are thinking about an opportunity lost yesterday or the big meeting tomorrow?

How did we get to this place? Well we’ve had lots or practice. If you were working in the 1960’s and 70’s you only had to open the U.S. Mail, your interoffice mail, or answer your telephone (yes, I mean the large plastic thing with the cord that tied you to your desk). These were the pre-voicemail days of written phone messages, carbon paper and IBM Selectric typewriters. Wow, we had three communication methods to juggle and we thought we were busy. Today let’s add fax, pagers, e-mail, instant messaging, cell phone, voice mail, computer applications and smart phones. No wonder we have a hard time focusing on anything. We seem to have a need to be connected 24-7. In order to stay in touch we attempt to juggle everything! I say STOP THE MADNESS!

A focus on everything means focusing on nothing. When we attempt to juggle everything, our focus is on holding it all together and not on each individual task. We think we are handling it but we are not truly focused on it. We become so externally focused that we can’t focus on the voice inside of us that tells us the truth - about everything in our lives. You know the voice I’m talking about. The voice that just said to you “what voice is he talking about”? The crazy part is ...