Multi-Tasking Kills Brain Cells

No, seriously. I read somewhere that multi-tasking actually kills brain cells. And really...it explains so much.

As a woman, that's just what we've always done, since the beginning of time. Men get up, go to work, come home, and watch TV. Sometimes I guess they eat and watch TV at the same time. Or play with themselves (sorry, but it's true) and watch TV at the same time. But is that really considered multi-tasking? And these days, with the wonders of DVRs, they don't even have to do that. They can pause the TV while they eat (or whatever else it is they're doing) and just have to focus on one thing at a time.

Not us ladies. Oh no. For some bizarre reason, we feel it necessary to sit on every committee the PTA has to offer, work in all 6 of our kids classrooms and maybe even a niece or nephew's, have our children involved in every sport and activity our city has to offer, fund raise, fund raise, fund raise, make sure our children have perfect grades, keep the house spotless, have a healthy dinner on the table every night, hold down a full time job OUTSIDE of the house, and keep our husbands happy (if you know what I mean~wink wink).

Why is that? WHY?!?! Who said we had to do all that? Do we think we'll be considered a flake or lazy if we don't do it? Peer pressure? What? What is it? Tell me please, because at this very moment, if I don't get a reasonable answer, I'm about to drop everything I'm doing and do absolutely nothing. Actually, that is what I'm doing (ok, technically I'm writing this blog at this very moment, but usually I'm doing nothing). I get so overwhelmed with all the responsibility that I just shut down.

Right now I'm the co-head of the PTO walk-a-thon committee, the secretary for our church's women's group, putting together the Mustang Marketplace (a craft type show at the school), helping with youth activities at church, on the Welcome committee at church, selling jeans, trying to keep this big house I HAD to have clean, keep my children entertained because they're SO BORED (OMGee, Mom! I'm so bored and there's nothing to eat in this house. Gosh.), keep the laundry up, oh, and trying NOT to worry about my parent's well-being (long story) and figure out how I can make myself a little more available to them. And that's just this summer. Wait until school starts...then I'll have to add the volunteering in the classrooms and extra-curricular activities, among other things.

I know I'm forgetting something. And do you know why I'm forgetting it?!?! It's because all this multi-tasking in killing my brain cells. Yup. Between that and pregnancy (because I read somewhere that pregnancy kills them, too) we should barely be functioning. Isn't it true that the more you do, the more you forget? I know it's true for me. It's impossible to keep up with it all and be effective while doing it. Therefore....I just don't keep up and I'm certainly not effective!

I listed all the things I'm "doing" right now, but here's my reality...
The PTO walk a thon letter has yet to be revised and was suppose to go out this summer, the minutes from the last meeting for the CWC have yet to be typed and honestly, I'm not even sure where my notes are...and there's a meeting this Saturday, the Mustang Marketplace is currently dead in the water, I can't remember the last time I actually helped with anything youth related, I'm pretty sure the last time I was suppose to be at the welcome center at church I was out of town, the only jeans I've sold lately were to myself, the house is...well, don't just drop by unexpectedly, the kids have been plastered to the TV for the last week straight, we're digging through the dirty laundry to find things to wear (don't worry...I do make sure we have clean undies), and my parents, well...I'M A HORRIBLE DAUGHTER!!!!

You know what I need to do? Say NO. Gasp! Yeah...I said it. NO. Let me say it again, because it felt so good...NO!! Oh baby. That was nice....I really needed that.

Have you noticed how older women repeat themselves over and over and have horrible memories? It's because they never said NO. They did everything for everyone and nothing for themselves. Ladies, if we don't stop this madness now, we'll end up the same way. Let's revolt! I'll add that to my list of things to do, right under "wash the car" and "volunteer at the local soup kitchen".

Now, I better get moving around here. I have lots to do...I think. I can't really remember.


**I love that I read that article and it gave me something to write about, but it does leave me to wonder...who on earth decided to research the effect of multi-tasking on the brain? And who funded that research? Just curious.**