Multi Tasking
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Last
week I was hanging out with my Sister and Mom. We had been visiting
for quite a while when I decided I wanted to check my email.
Wanted, not needed.
I pulled out my phone and started checking. Now, I was still listening to the conversation at hand, and even participating. I was just multi-tasking, Right?
I suddenly heard: "Elisa!" I answered "What," while still looking at my email. Again I heard "Elisa! Look at me." I looked up and my mom and sister were looking at me, and my sister said something profound.
"Put your phone away and be present in our conversation."
Wanted, not needed.
I pulled out my phone and started checking. Now, I was still listening to the conversation at hand, and even participating. I was just multi-tasking, Right?
I suddenly heard: "Elisa!" I answered "What," while still looking at my email. Again I heard "Elisa! Look at me." I looked up and my mom and sister were looking at me, and my sister said something profound.
"Put your phone away and be present in our conversation."
Be present in our conversation.
I have thought about that a lot-- that being present.
Technology is such that it has enabled us to "multi-task" in ways that we never could before. With the touch of a button you can have directions to the nearest restaurant or check your child's grades. But, in that ability to multi-task comes the risk of not being present with the people you are with. And, in reality it has enabled us.
Have you ever been in situations where the people you were with spent more time with the people inside their phone than they did looking you in the eye?
I have and it made me feel unimportant.
Very unimportant.
How do you feel about people "Multi-tasking"while you are trying to carry on a conversation with other people?
Whether it be them checking their Email, Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, Instgram, or even just playing a game on their phone.
How does it make you feel?
What are your thoughts?
Do YOU "Multi-task"?
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About the Author: Elisa is the current owner of MMB. You can find her on twitter @themotherboard and her non-award winning, much neglected personal blog Crazyland: Tales from the Motherboard.
