Why Does It Hurt So Bad?

The shorter way to do many things is to only do one thing at a time. ~ Mozart

Knife in the right. Fruit in the left. Both hands occupied, me attempting to sit on the kitchen bar stool while adjusting its height was a sure recipe for disaster. And so, it did. Multi-tasking doesn’t work in all situations.

Down I went; fruit, knife, bar stool and me! Wham! I felt that sharp pain as the one-legged bar stool knocked sharply into my right rib! My oldest and her hubby ran to the rescue! But the damage was already done. It’s as though the wind was knocked out of me. I lay on the ground writhing in pain beyond 10-minutes.

When I finally accepted help to get up, I felt like I wanted to simply lay flat. I staggered in hasty retreat to bed. But could hardly get in. The pain was too much to bear and I could hardly breathe. Why does it hurt so bad, I pondered?

The night ended with the Emergency Room Physician telling me post X-Ray that I had bruised by rib, and the healing and pain would ease in three weeks! Internet searches recounted with 4-6 weeks recovery. Others who have gone through it, said the pain lingers beyond that.

Left in daily excruciating pain marked by sleepless nights, that’s the tale of my multi-tasking mishap. Work, sleep, appointments all interrupted but it could have been worse.

While there’s life, there’s hope.

The Multi-Tasking Learning

Balance and foresight is important. Multitasking has its limits that leaders should be mindful of. Brown University’s Dr. Jennifer Davis, among others, share hidden costs:

• More mistakes: Dividing your attention can increase your error rate by up to 50%.
• Mental exhaustion: Switching tasks drains your brain’s energy and leaves behind mental blocks.
• Higher stress: Juggling demands raises your heart rate, blood pressure, and anxiety levels.
• Blocked creativity: Constantly shifting focus robs the working memory needed for deep, creative thought.

So self-leaders take heed. Manage multi-tasking. The urge to get things done all at once can lead to sad consequences, like mine.

What are your tales and views on multi-tasking? Do share, we would love to hear.

Cheers!