I try to do too many things at once.

Ankur calls it “taking shortcuts.” 

I call it “being efficient with my limited time.” 

He argues that things can take longer when we half-ass our way through them. Sometimes they’re not done correctly, requiring us to do it again. Sometimes we don’t enjoy an experience as much because we’re trying to do multiple things all at once.

I push back and say, “There’s NO WAY our house would run without multi-tasking.” 

I’m not wrong.

But neither is he.

You see, this morning, I started brushing my teeth. And, as I do, I walked out to the living room to see what I could do with my free hand. Pick up the blanket that fell on the floor. Put dirty glasses in the sink. Kick Ishu’s toys to the side so we don’t trip on them.

This is what I do. 

So much so that Ishu has internalized that “brushing our teeth” is a moving process. The minute I squeeze the toothpaste onto his toothbrush and hand it over, he grabs the brush from my hand and walks out of the bathroom.

He paces around the living room. As if he has learned – by watching me – that this is what we do when we brush our teeth. We move around. 

I’m not proud of it.

I wish I could channel my inner Mr. Rogers and slooooooow down. But I don’t think moms are wired this way. At least not any moms I know. We’ve got things running through our brain all the time. Things we could be doing with any free moment.

I used to think this was a weakness of mine.

And it can be, I guess.

Especially in moments like the one that happened yesterday. Where I tried to brush my teeth and fill my mug up with water at the same time. So I could get my coffee brewing. All before I washed my face. 

And then the mug came crashing down and shattered on the ground.

Yeah, multitasking ain’t always great. I’ve got shards of ceramic in my trashcan as proof.

But this ability to juggle multiple things at once is also a superpower.

I think the real beauty lies in finding a balance between Ankur’s approach and my approach. I’m not going to ever be able to stop multitasking. (And, honestly, I KNOW Ankur is impressed some days when we sit down to dinner at a restaurant and I can hold a conversation, eat my food, and cater to Ishu all at once). 

At the same time, I know that I don’t ALWAYS need to be doing ALL the things ALL the time. And that, when I do have the time and the space to slow down, it’s probably helpful to take a page out of Ankur’s book.

It’s probably why we’re a good match. He’s the tortoise to my hare. But I’m also like an octopus with eight arms, making this household run. 

On days I get frustrated with his sloth-like behavior, I take a deep breath and remind myself that two of ME running around this place is no good for anyone. We both need to be here. Both need to be showing Ishu that, sometimes we pace and sometimes we are still.

We both learn from one another. And isn’t that the end goal anyway? To always be learning, always be improving, always be evolving?

Anyway, I think it’s comical that, of the two BIG coffee mugs I own, the “UGH” mug broke. Leaving me with only the “RELAX” mug. I think…I THINK…that it’s the universe trying to subtly send me a message. And I guess I should probably slow down and listen to it. 

Question of the Day:

Are you a tortoise or an octopus?