Your Mind is Like a Monkey on Horseback

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@josie_ (9763)
Philippines
April 4, 2016 10:25pm CST
Circus! Circus! An image of a circus ring comes to mind. We see a monkey sitting complacently on horseback, the trainer guiding the horse round and round as they go in circles. But what if the monkey was given free reign of the horse? Like the phrase "Monkey around",mayhem would be the result. In today's world of endless distraction, our mind is like that monkey scampering willy-nilly from one thing to another. It cannot sit still. In 2000, the attention span of the average person was 12 seconds. Some researchers believe this has fallen to 8 seconds. Much lower than a goldfish which have a 9 second attention span. I use to be envious of people who can multi-task since I find it nearly impossible to do several things at the same time (probably old age). You see kids listening to music while talking to friends on their cellphone and playing video games. Turns out you are merely sifting your attention from one task to another and not doing them simultaneously as most people believe. Because our brain need to focus on the task at hand, multitasking takes longer to complete and are often prone to error. Do you multi-task and what sort of activities are these?
12 people like this
16 responses
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
5 Apr 16
I can still multi-task, mind and action. While I was preparing our lunch (eggplant omelet), I was also talking over the phone to one of my former students, while lotting as well.I did it.
2 people like this
@josie_ (9763)
• Philippines
5 Apr 16
@ridingbet _If I did that, I'd probably would have burn torta (eggplant omelet) for lunch!
1 person likes this
@cacay1 (83220)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
5 Apr 16
@ridingbet, wow aha, nice friend.
2 people like this
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
5 Apr 16
@josie_ no you won't.Let us not allow that at our ripe age.
1 person likes this
@Lucky15 (37346)
• Philippines
5 Apr 16
I do...but not that much anymore.for i got my focus go like gone
2 people like this
@Lucky15 (37346)
• Philippines
5 Apr 16
@josie_ i agree. For example for me is when i am writing a check. Knowing how the bank's rule now...i have to be like focus...or else.
1 person likes this
@josie_ (9763)
• Philippines
5 Apr 16
@Lucky1_Multi-tasking is a good training for motor skills and body coordination. But when it comes to more complicated tasks that requires our cognitive reasoning and retrieval of information stored in our brain, it is better to do things one at a time.
1 person likes this
@josie_ (9763)
• Philippines
5 Apr 16
@Lucky15 _As long as the check doesn't bounce, you're alright.
1 person likes this
@MGjhaud (23251)
• Philippines
5 Apr 16
i do multitask when at work. my job requires efficiency and it allows me to go home early..
2 people like this
@MGjhaud (23251)
• Philippines
5 Apr 16
@josie_ i take calls for a living.
1 person likes this
@josie_ (9763)
• Philippines
5 Apr 16
@MGjhaud_You probably have had a lot of experience in your job. What kind of task do you multitask if I may ask?
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
15 Apr 16
Always . I watch TV while i play my game on my phone . I would play when the scene isn't interesting but just listen to the conversation .
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
15 Apr 16
@josie_ well , it is said that in multi-tasking you cannot do the two jobs well . It means the outcome might just be of mediocre quality or lower than that . And we can only multi-task two light jobs .
1 person likes this
@josie_ (9763)
• Philippines
15 Apr 16
@SIMPLYD _ Some people say I have a one track mind. But what I really have is a one lane mind. Good only for one idea passing through at a time. This is why I"ll never be good at multi-tasking.
1 person likes this
@cacay1 (83220)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
5 Apr 16
A task should be done one at a time to avoid error.Always in haste may turn all tasks ineffective,useless.
1 person likes this
@cacay1 (83220)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
5 Apr 16
@josie_ As long as the body does not refuse, then go, go go hehe.
1 person likes this
@josie_ (9763)
• Philippines
5 Apr 16
@cacay_As the saying goes "haste make waste". Most often than not, multitasking is employed to meet deadlines.Procrastination is often the reason.
1 person likes this
@josie_ (9763)
• Philippines
6 Apr 16
@cacay1 _in my case, Although the "spirit is willing the body is weak"Something to do with "old age"
1 person likes this
• Eugene, Oregon
5 Apr 16
I am watching a TV show and reading and commenting here. I am doing my best not to make errors. The program is about Mexican laborers who came North to harvest crops in the US during World War II. Fascinating!
2 people like this
@josie_ (9763)
• Philippines
5 Apr 16
@JamesHxstatic _They were welcome when a shortage of manpower occur because Americans were needed in the arm forces. How times have chance.
1 person likes this
@cherriefic (10400)
• Philippines
5 Apr 16
I always multitask as I'm used to it and can get things done faster for me.
1 person likes this
@josie_ (9763)
• Philippines
5 Apr 16
@cherriefic _Can't do it. Any distraction and I'm off my game.
• Philippines
6 Apr 16
Im not been very good with multi tasking, most specially at work.
1 person likes this
@josie_ (9763)
• Philippines
6 Apr 16
@Letranknight2015 _Nothing to feel bad about. Fewer errors if you just focus on one task at a time.
@marlina (154165)
• Canada
9 Apr 16
I used to think that I was multitasking but after reading this discussion, I guess I was only kidding myself.
1 person likes this
@josie_ (9763)
• Philippines
9 Apr 16
@marlina _I've always been a "one at a time" person. Life is too short to be always in a hurry.
@LadyDuck (459735)
• Switzerland
5 Apr 16
I multi tasking too much and this is the reason why I have small home accidents. I should do one thing at a time.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (459735)
• Switzerland
6 Apr 16
@josie_ Yes, it was, I was doing several different things in my kitchen and talking to my niece... a moment of distraction and I grabbed the pan from the oven without wearing the oven glove.
@josie_ (9763)
• Philippines
5 Apr 16
@LadyDuck _Was that the reason for the burns in your hands which you mention in a previous post?
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Apr 16
i got the full visual :) multi-taskin' typically causes more troubles'n it resolves. i ne'er did such, but 'twas prone to burnin' the candle't both ends. that's a great pity that so many can't stay focused longer'n a goldfish :( no wonder our young'uns don't seem to be too bright these days...
1 person likes this
@josie_ (9763)
• Philippines
5 Apr 16
@crazyhorseladycx _I occasionally burn the midnight oil when I'm totally focus on a thing I am interested in. I am never aware how time flies. Kids these days are lucky or unlucky depending on how one looks at it.They have the computer and apps to do the thinking for them.
1 person likes this
@sol_cee (38222)
• Philippines
5 Apr 16
Breathing while myLotting?
1 person likes this
@josie_ (9763)
• Philippines
5 Apr 16
@sol_cee _I think I can still do that.
@JudyEv (326472)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Apr 16
My multi-tasking would be mostly putting on a load of washing while doing some baking or easy stuff like that. :)
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326472)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Apr 16
@josie_ It is still only doing one thing at a time. :)
1 person likes this
@josie_ (9763)
• Philippines
8 Apr 16
@JudyEv_Then it would be the washing machine which was multi-tasking (wash/ rinse/ dry)
1 person likes this
5 Apr 16
how beautiful.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (71676)
• United States
8 Apr 16
My daughter always wants to do things while she is doing something else such as listening to videos on her tablet while playing games on the computer. Or listening to music while doing her homework. Or doing crosswords or mad libs while watching movies. I used to be the same way but now that I am older and my medications calm me down I like to just sit and do one thing at a time.
@allen0187 (58444)
• Philippines
6 Apr 16
I like to multi-task and a good example is me typing out responses and posts here in myLot while listening to music and having a sporting event (NBA, NHL, MLB, or whatever is playing on tv) on while checking my Twitter and IG feed. All these 'distractions' actually help my think better and it trains me to prioritize. That's just me though.