multi-tasking wake-up

The whole concept of this blog is to point out, and hopefully discover, ways to maximize down time. Time in the LOADING zone. Most moms wish for more time in the day. Searching for ways to add minutes to their day without sacrificing sleep or valuable interactive time with the family.

Maximizing down time, is not the same as multi-tasking. Don't get me wrong, multi-tasking is awesome. The key is to understand which of the tasks you are juggling requires your primary focus. One armed cooking is a task most mothers master by the time our children are just several weeks old.

We instinctively protect the baby, preferring to drop the pot rather then drop the baby. We hold and love our children while going about our daily routine, until one day that child pushes us away and begins to explore the world from their own height. We frantically childproof the house crawling around behind our kids, plugging up outlets, securing electric cords and never letting them out of our sight, afraid they will discover what we overlooked.

So why do we multi-task, putting these same children we are overprotective of in jeopardy, while we drive? Turning to talk to them, looking down to get items from our purse. Answering the phone, and even text-ing back our response. We think we are protecting them, making sure they are buckled up and yet we seem to be driving with our knees. We wait until the last possible minute to leave, and then rush to get where we are going. Breaking speed limits, gunning on the yellow. Praying to the traffic lights to be on our side.

There was an awful car accident on the corner by my house today. 2 mini-vans, a truck and a SUV. 4 large vehicles, 3 of the 4 holding car-seats. I don't know who was at fault, I checked it out and walked back into my home, slightly shaken and very grateful. Normally I would have been on the road at that time. My kids stayed late at school today for an event. It would not have been unusual for me at that intersection to not be paying attention to my driving and focused on the radio or something else.

Multi-tasking is not the same as maximizing. Be aware of the difference, and be grateful that your not running late to get your kids because you totalled the car.