My Case Against Multi-tasking

Sometimes multi-tasking can be useful, other times it’s just plain wrong!

I know that some of you moms out there will argue with me, and I’ll tell you…  I am, always have been and probably always will be a multi-tasker. How else are we going to get everything done that we need to get done with only 24 hours a day?

Well, amidst our kitchen remodel – which is on hold at the moment, since my carpenter husband also has only 24 hours in a day – we were planning on serving our very large family (8 children, their significant others, and 10 grandchildren) and Easter meal. A quick trip to the grocery store for last minute items was necessary, then home to a very busy day.

Here’s where the “Case Against” comes in. I remembered that I had forgotten to take the Easter turkey (no, not ham or veal, but turkey) out of the freezer. So I did exactly what you would have done, I put the turkey in the laundry tub and began filling it with cold water for a quicker thaw. While the tub was filling, I ran the groceries upstairs to put them away. You guessed it! I immediately got distracted and forgot about the water running downstairs.

Several minutes later, I ran downstairs to put something in the freezer and heard the dreaded splashing of water all over the laundry room floor. I don’t know how many minutes several is, but it is definitely long enough to do some damage. My busy day just got busier. I drug out all of my towels and rags and began sopping up water, turned on the fans and cleaned up my mess.

Next time I’ll set a timer to remind myself to turn off the water. I wonder how I will remember to set the timer, hmmm?

Ok, maybe next time, I’ll just do one thing at a time and save myself some time, and get more done.

Being organized isn’t about doing it all. It isn’t about being perfect. It is about having a system, and systems develop and change as we go. I now have a new system for thawing turkey the day before a holiday.