I have done a guest post on this thorny subject over at Venus and Mars
Just to confirm, it’s an observation, not a criticism… but it would be fun to hear what you all have to say on the subject.
Can men multitask? Does it really matter?
|
|
||
 
 
 
|
Men Can't Multitask6 comments to Men Can’t Multitask |
|
|
Copyright © 2012 All Rights Reserved
114 queries. 2.116 seconds. |
||
As a man, I can absolutely confirm that men can’t multi-task. I am not good at it, nor are most guys I know. I think it’s because men tend to be focused more on one task/activity at a time, and are goal-oriented for that one task. Women seem to be better able to handle more things at once.
Though at the same time, I think men are better at staying focused than women. Women seem to be much more easily distracted. Probably because they’re so busy multi-tasking!
I guess we balance each other out well :)
“Multi-task” is an interesting, modern terminology that my Funk and Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary (1977) doesn’t even have a description of.
Oh, I understand it’s a gestalt thing…but, that’s also the answer, isn’t it?
I mean, I fully realize that a woman can be flying down a highway, talking on her blue-tooth, putting on lipstick, tugging her stockings on, tuning in a decent radio station or choosing a good CD, occasionally tapping in recipes to her daughter on her blackberry, and telling her male passenger to calm down because she knows where the brake pedal is…
d=))
OK, I’m exaggerating. She would probably just CALL her daughter and tell her the recipe.
#1 I bring to the fore an age old saying…”Jack of all trades, Master of none.” Not being mean spirited, here. Just pointing out that concentration on a single task is more focused than performing multiple tasks.
And now, another glance at what is called “focus”…
Isn’t it funny how sometimes performing a task can seem, to an observer, to be easy? Painting a picture, for example. People like Bob Ross make it look like it is a mindless task, done at the spur of the moment. A single task?
Hardly. Continually considering color, tone, shade, light direction, content, balance, all the while speaking to an audience of two photographers, and sometimes his wife, and at least considering the sometimes less than apt viewers of the program.
OK, maybe you know of him, maybe not.
How about something as simple as changing a tire?
Single task?
No… Loosen the nuts, raising the car, taking the nuts off without stripping the danged things, pulling off the wheel and rim without jarring the car off the jack, putting the new tire on, tightening the nuts almost, dropping the wheel, finish the tightening, putting the tools away, closing the trunk, and driving away. Or just call the driving club and have them come and fix it.
OK, something else, then.
Golf? Just one hole…Figure the wind, choosing a club, practice swing to evaluate the strike, choosing the right ball, teeing up, taking a strong stance, ball forward somewhat in alignment, good grip but not choking the life out of the club, think of standing like the letter “K” and hitting the ball upward, actually striking the ball, keeping your head down and behind the ball as you follow through (after the strike and the ball is mid air is when one finally looks at it) seeing the ball and watching where it lands, walking to it, again noting wind, moisture, environmental issues, choosing a club, evaluating the club and considering the strike, a different stance, middle of the feet, “sit” down, keeping your head behind the ball and down throughout the strike, striking the ball, and you’re on the green. Time of day, wind direction, moisture all come into play, now, as well as the good stance, loose but not too loose, a smooth stroke, the sound of the ball as it passes the hole and your friends begin laughing in the background and considering taking the putter to them both mercilessly, but deciding to ignore them entirely because it is a brand new putter given to you by your brother on your last birthday, and why did he give you a putter, anyway? You see that the ball is actually further from the hole as when you first struck the ball, but, you don’t let that bother you, and you line up your shot…a hush falls over your friends (as if they KNEW about your choice to not beat them with the putter) and you tap the ball, and watch as it slowly, steadily picks up speed because it’s going downhill, and it rolls completely off the green and into a sand trap. You close your eyes and pretend to not hear the rolling laughter of your IDIOT friends! You pick out your sand wedge and consider the chances of hitting the ball to the hole, perhaps mere inches from it, you place your feet strongly into place, practicing the idea of hitting below the ball, actually into the sand, creating a dollar bill size stroke underneath the ball (a one pound note if you’re in England) and you stop breathing for ever so slight a moment as you draw back the club…
(whack!) omigod, you’ve hit the ball straight out with the shaft, the ball squeaks out to the right, just missing your friends, and popping into a nearby pond.
You stare hotly at the pond ripples that emerge around where the ball went in, and you break the wedge over your knee (carefully hitting the upper part of the knee so as to avoid hurting your lower thigh) and throw the club into the pond. In a momentary flash of “whee!” you pick up your entire golf club bag, griping it carefully and raising it up over your head but tilted so as to not spill the clubs out onto the ground…and you heave it lock, stock, balls and clubs into the pond…several yards beyond the edge…the deepest part…you don’t want any retrieval be made easily, and as you storm back to the sports club to have a drink or five while your IDIOT friends, who are now hooting and howling and rolling on the ground in utter amusement, finish their nine holes…and just then do you realize that your wallet went with the clubs.
Into the pond.
At the deepest part.
And now, so will you.
No mam…I don’t thinnnk I understand what you mean by not being able to multitask…
But after I fetch my clubs, I’m leaving and my friends can just call a cab.
LOL… No pound notes over here any more ;P
Awww Boneman! Golf is one of those sports that are designed to frustrate and bemuse. There is no joy in this pursuit. I know, I’ve tried :) I am sending you a virtual hug whilst typing this reply and waiting for my onions to fry up sufficiently to add the mince x
yeah.. I dunno. Got carried away a bit, didn’t I?
(I still like the game, and remember o take LOTS of extra balls…just in case)
If women can multi task, how come they can’t have a headache and sex at the same time?
(copyright Billy Connolly, allegedly)
I lurrrrrve Billy Connolly x