About This Piece
I wrote this piece for NPR’s radio show, This I Believe, with an audio delivery. I followed their guidelines using a conversational tone, intentional pacing, and imagery that can be felt to create an
emotional connection with their listeners. I wanted the reader to sense the impact of the slower pace to feel peace and stillness inside them, create personal reflection, and rethink the value of presence in their lives. This article also highlights my strength in narrative writing and audience connection through relatable scenarios, contrast in the words, message, and tone, and by using rhetorical questions to engage the readers.
This I Believe - Single Tasking
Let me ask you something… Can you single-task? I know. You’re are probably thinking... Is that even a real thing? In our world today, multitasking is one of the top skills for getting hired, but if I was being interviewed for a new job and the employer asked me if I could multitask, I would answer, “Yes, and I’m good at it,” but then I would add, “Thank you for your time, but I am no longer interested this job.”
The truth is, multitasking is not a superpower. It’s a stress response. The brain doesn’t actually multitask. It toggles. Back and forth. Every switch wasting my energy. Every interruption spiking more stress. Every toggle between conversations, emails, notifications, and expectations, increasing my cortisol and dividing my attention.
Yes, my brain was designed to handle multitasking and there are times when I employ that function. It’s a powerful tool that I admire and use as necessary, but I don’t want to use it everyday as my “best tool” in the tool box.
My best tool is presence. I believe presence gives life meaning. I believe presence is a quiet kind of superpower.
Life is not a race to see how much we can carry or how quickly we can check tasks off a list. When I slow down, the day opens with the sun shining on everything. Conversations deepen. The ordinary comes alive. I notice the shift in someone’s voice before they share something vulnerable and I am able to catch the small details that would otherwise pass me by.
In my life, with my family, friends, clients, and the people standing next to me in the grocery store line, presence is not optional. Conversations slow down and people feel seen and heard. One person. One story. One moment at a time. When I am fully there… they can feel it. They soften. They breathe differently. They speak more openly and are more honest.
And something happens in me too. My nervous system settles into balance. Oh! That beautiful state of homeostasis – steady, calm, and clear. Filled with peace and balance. Time feels fuller. Small details become more meaningful. I’ve noticed that it’s contagious too. After a few minutes of focused attention, the person I am with also slows down.Shoulders drop. Voices soften. Smiles become bigger and the stories are intermingled with giggles.
Imagine… spreading peace simply by paying attention. One interaction at a time. Day after beautiful day. So beautiful!
Yeah… I can multitask… but it’s not worth missing out on single-tasking.