Multi-tasking... this is an issue that we all have a lot to say about! Is it good to be doing several things at one time or should we simply focus on one task at a time? Are women really better at multi-tasking than men? Is it really more effective?
There are lots of articles to read on all of these questions... but they are not the question that has been interesting me over the last weeks...
My question is more around eating...
Why do we always/often multitask food?
First of all - I am certainly not being judgemental here... I have been known to have my lunch behind a computer on many occasions and giving myself many excuses for doing it - 'got to get this finished', 'I'll just check a nice video', 'need to contact a friend so I'll do it in my lunch break'...
I am just curious as to why multi-tasking eating has become so normal that scheduling a working lunch is completely normal (sometimes daily) experience in some offices? I now even see couples eating out at a restaurant and they are both on their phones too, or children with a tablet and cartoon propped up on the table so that they eat...
What has happened?
Somewhere along the line eating has gone from an essential moment of calm and nourishment and a time to stop and enjoy the pleasure, to something to get out of the way as quick as possible, preferably not losing your time too much so do something else as well. Something that we need to be distracted from... is the food really so bad?
What a shame! Especially since science shows us that when we eat in a stressed state (even low levels of stress) we have increased adrenalin and cortisol in the blood and our digestive system does not function optimally. We can be eating the best food in the world but not absorbing the vitamins and minerals from it that we need.
In addition if the body perceives stress (it doesn't really know if the scary series you are watching is real or not) it will store weight, store fat and not build muscle until peace time comes!
So why not stop and have a real lunch break? Eat your breakfast and dinner at the table with a candle and some relaxing music? Be just a bit more aware of what you are putting in your mouth and what it really tastes like...
If you do need to multitask meetings in work - why not multitask them with a stretching session (for a bigger group) or a walk around the park (if you are only 2-3)?
Sound strange? Well so does trying to think and talk (or type) while putting food in your mouth ;-)
Food for thought!!!