The Problem with Multitasking is …

Many people say that multitasking is bad. I get it. But, I am a multitasking person. Sometimes, I even claim that I am a hyper-multitasking person. Those who know me know that this is true. I run many companies, run many non-profit initiatives and social activities, play in bands, play futsal (a 5-person soccer if you will), and so on and so forth. It’s just me. I am not complaining.

The way I organize my time is based on urgency, not on what is important. Yes, again I know this is not good, but this is what I choose to do. Given my situation. (So improve or fix the situation, you say. But, I don’t want to.) Whatever needs to be done now, I am doing it. Switching context rapidly.

The problem with multitasking is when all the deadlines are in the same time or in the same time space, say in the same week. This is a real problem. Because of my way of organizing time, my solution to this problem is to drop some of the tasks. Meaning, some of the tasks may fail. Hopefully, they don’t fail badly, but solve-able — given time.

Most people are not angry with me because they know what they are going to get when they pick me. The only person that is hard on me is myself. I know I could do better, but given the situation this is the best that I could. But, since I know that it could be better, I feel bad. It should be better. But again, if this is given to somebody else, it may not even get done. So, that is not a bad thing. Getting 65 is better then getting 55 if given to somebody else. But, I want at least 85. Not 65. And I know I can get it to 85 — or more — if I am not doing multitasking.

I am fortunate — at least at the time being — that having deadlines in the same time does not happen frequently in my cases. Phew. Or is this actually a bad thing? That it does not push me to make changes. Hmmm. At least, I am happy and that’s the most important thing. There.