Why I Multitask

As I was brushing my teeth with my timed, electric toothbrush, I was thinking of all of the recommended times everyone has for all the things we're supposed to do each day. I wondered if it was possible to actually do everything everyone tells me I should do for the length of time they all tell me I need to do them. So I made a list. Here are some of the things I've been told to do each day (or things I need to do each day) and estimated times it takes to do them:

Things I should do each day:

Wake up at 6

Brush teeth - 2 min................ 2

Shower - 15 min.................... 17

Face - 1o min................... 27

Dress - 5 min................... 32

Hair and make-up - 20 min........ 52

Make breakfast - 15min............. 1:07

Eat breakfast -15........................ 1:22

Devo - 15 min.............................. 1:37

Drive to work - 15 min............... 1:52

Work - 8 hours............................ 9:52

Drive home - 15 min................... 10:07

Exercise - 30 min......................... 10:37

Cook dinner - 30 min................... 11:07

Eat dinner - 30 min ......................11:37

Make tomorrow's lunch - 30 min......12:07

Call family/talk with friends - 30min...... 12:37

Wash face - 15 min........................ 12:52

Floss - 1min.................................... 12:53

Rinse - 1 min................................... 12:54

Brush - 2 min................................. 12:56

Quiet time - 1 hour........................ 13:56

Wash hands (during the day) - 4 min....... 14:00

Bed by 10

If you count the 8 hours of sleep I need, this allows me 2 hours in my day of free time to watch tv or read. Now this does not count the fact that on each day of the week I have a different activity planned that usually takes at least 2 hours (on Wednesday it's 6), that I tend to work once I get home, that I have usually committed to planning or preparing for some thing at work or church that requires sewing or shopping or creating, that I need to check email (or facebook), or allotting for any other emergency that might come up. So I've determined that I cannot make it all happen.

And yet...if I talk to my mom on the phone while preparing dinner and if I brush my teeth in the shower...and if I choose not to style my hair or wear makeup... and if I exercise while at work... and if I eat breakfast while in my car on the way to work...and if I use my cellphone while driving... and if I only get 6 hours sleep... and if I talk to my roommate while we watch tv as we eat dinner and I'm grading (or sewing or creating), then I can save hours!

So I must multitask. I cannot cut out the things I love just to do silly things like "be healthy" or "well rested". Ha! I defy time by efficiently spreading myself too thin and overworking my brain by performing in mediocrity on several tasks at once. Take that, twenty-four hour days!