Sensories
We tend to be good at multitasking.
I can drive, talk on the phone, listen to music and eat some Chik Fil A all at the same time. We walk while we eat, we text while we work, we watch TV while we run on the treadmill.
Are we actually good at multitasking?
Depends how you define good, I guess. In some ways, it is astounding that we can do all of these things at the same time at a relatively high output level. I’m able to do all of those things while having a pretty good conversation, not crashing, and finishing all of my food.
In this multitasking, hyper-productive world, though, there is a cost.
The experiences that we have are much less vivid. The food becomes calories and not a special meal. The conversation reaches its goal, but I probably missed many verbal cues that could have led to a more meaningful talk. I don’t hear the beauty of the bass or the timing of the rhythm that makes the song so special.
Vivid?
There is so much beauty in the world. It is what you experience when you are in a state of flow. It is the way that you feel when you see a sunset that takes the breath out of you, or you hear a song that fills your entire brain.
When we are so busy focusing on so many things, though, our brains do not have the capacity to become fully immersed in the present moment. Sometimes, it can tactically hurt us. I might not connect with my friend the way I would have liked because I wasn’t paying attention to the subtle cues they gave about topics they would have liked to discuss more. Often, though, the only thing we lose out on is our own experience. My meal, or day or hike in nature is less vivid.
That makes it extremely challenging to quantify or rationalize not multitasking. That being said, doing so is a unique experience.
Next time that you eat, put everything else down and just focus on the food. Or, next time you have a conversation, force yourself to listen to everything that the other person is saying and respond accordingly. Next time you are outside in nature, really take in everything around you. Turn on an artist that plays multi-layered music (lately, I’ve been vibing to Stevie Wonder, Pink Floyd and Tom Misch as some examples), and clear your head except for the beats of the song.
These moments of intense vividness are hard to describe beyond saying that they are awesome. They have also been occurring more frequently in my life as I have been seeking them out. It has changed the way that I see people and the world around me.
Not something that will change overnight, but a path that I am glad to be on right now.
Have similar thoughts or stories of this vividness? Would love to hear em. Feel free to reach out :)
