​Should I be concerned?

​Although science, research, books and articles have been dedicated to prove ‘multitasking’ isn’t possible, I believe women are capable of ‘multitasking.’

Last week, coming home from work, talking on the phone to my friend Karen, I simultaneously checked my mail box, sorted the mail, threw the junk mail into recycle garbage can outside and continued having a conversation with my friend. Easy ‘multitasking’ at my best.
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Or so I thought. Until I sat in my office to pay my bills later that evening. (Yes! I still right checks. No judgment please. I do other tasks well.) Going through the statements, I realized I had thrown away the self-addressed envelopes for the statements. I looked everywhere on my desk. Could I have thrown them away with the recycle junk mail. No Way! I am a skillful ‘multitasker’. I would never have made such a mistake.  

​Rummaging through my recycling in the LARGE recycle garbage can outside my home that evening, I found I had also thrown away a credit card statement. Well! Was that a find! I also found the envelopes. I took a moment and thought, “should I be concerned”? 
Several days ago in the salon, I realized one of my favorite clients was finishing my sentences while we chatted. A bit uncomfortable, I stopped talking for a bit and when I started again, she was doing it again and I liked what she had to say better than what I was going to say and she certainly said is sooner than me. I thought to myself,  “should I be concerned”? 

Audio books are one of my favorite forms of entertainment and inspiration. I brag I listen to at least 3 to 4 novels per month. Driving to and from work is my preferred time to listen. Recently I discovered I was well on my way to the 51 Freeway instead of stopping at the salon to work. I was a bit late for work. I am recommending the book The Maid, by Nita Prose so you can see how easily I was distracted. Or, should I be concerned? 

Am I the last person in America to discover Hallmark Romance and Mystery movies? Total transparency here; I have never been a television watcher, but I have been binging on Hallmark movies for several weeks. The acting is not great, there is no sex or violence, no character development and there is one recurring plot; girl is smart and lonely, boy is cute and just happens to be available at the perfect age. They meet, something happens to tear them apart. Shattered! They come back together and they fall in love and kiss. There is only one kiss at the very end. One kiss! Strangely enough, I have really been enjoying watching the movies. Should I be concerned? 

This past year I have invested in several books on improving my mind: Memory Rescue by Daniel G. Amen, M.D., Whole Brain Living by Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, Limitless by Kim Kwik and Remember, The science of memory and the art of forgetting by Lisa Genova. In a nutshell, they all encourage similar crucial strategies for improving the mind and our thinking process.  ‘Forgetting is actually part of being human’ writes Lisa Genova. I liked that a lot. Don’t be concerned if you forget she reassures. Jim Kwik encourages us not to ‘multitask’ and to focus instead in what we are doing…one thing at a time. 

All in all, I’ve decided not to be concerned at all. Instead, here is my advice; let’s lighten up a bit. Let’s find the fun and humor in our lives. So what if you find yourself buried in your recycle garbage can in the middle of the night because you were proudly multitasking with your best friend and threw out something important. Let your fiends finish your sentences, it makes them feel good and smart. Listen to books on audible and lose yourself in them. It helps your mind forget and remember, ‘forgetting is actually part of being human.’ And enjoy the Hallmark movies with the one kiss at the end. It may be as good as it gets for now. 

Your friend in fun,
Hilda