I often spend a lot of my homeschooling time sitting and waiting on my kids to work a problem, or read an article or finish up a paper we started together. This doesn't jive well with my slightly impatient, want to get done personality. (And yes, I confess, I'm doing this somewhat while waiting for a son to get a math problem worked out...) I find I am tempted to multi-task and work on something else while they are in concentration. But what ultimately results is I am then distracted, and have to work to refocus when they are once again ready for my attention. The result? So many of them, none of them really very good.
1. My "distraction" activity is not getting the focus IT needs, and does not turn out the best, or takes longer than it should.
2. I am not in tune to what they were doing and have to refigure out where we were at, thus resulting in more time and potentially, mis-teaching.
3. I am teaching my kids the art of multi-tasking in a way that is not productive.
4. At times, I end up wasting time doing something I don't normally indulge in (insert facebook and pinterest confession here!)
5. I often end up frustrated that I got interrupted in doing my "distraction" activity once they have completed their task!
So are we to multi-task? Is it really that effective? I'm sure much smarter people than me have studied it and made conclusions both for and against.
What it boils down to is - in my multi-tasking, am I short changing those involved? Me. The person(s) associated with my "distraction" activity, be it a recipient of an email or a blog-reader or my husband's company bookkeeping. And most importantly, my child. When the answer to any of that is YES, I have to reevaluate priorities and retrain my focus.
But... (insert slight whine) I get so BORED waiting, when I see they are progressing well! I can't stand to sit and do NOTHING! So how do I fill that waiting time with the non-distracting, non-disengaged activities?
I personally found the answer by doing exactly what it is. While recently waiting not-so-patiently, I allowed my mind to wander a bit, rather than sliding over to my keyboard, and pondered exactly that thought. It's found in Philippians, and is applicable to oh so many wandering thought times...
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ~ Philippians 4:8
I can use these little nuggets of time to just think, and not necessarily about what else I COULD take care of in that time, but rather - think the things of God. Things that are true. Noble. Right. Pure. Lovely. Admirable. Excellent. Full of Praise.
Be in awe of my child quietly working.
Thanking God for the opportunity before me to teach my child.
Praising Him that another child is quietly working and not distracting.
Contemplating how I might use this thing they are working on to glorify Him (did you know that math is a function of order, and God is the One who ESTABLISHED order?)
Silently claim His Word over my child as they work
Go through a current memory verse.
By taking captive my thoughts, and turning them to the things of Him, I can glorify Him in these little moments, and the usual results dissipate. Not only that, but I find when my mind is focused on the things of Him, I no longer deal with the typical frustrations of getting interrupted, because when our minds are fixed on Him - He will keep us in perfect peace! And frustrations dissipate when our minds are at peace, and the "interruptions" are the result of our natural calling!
Now THAT'S the way to multi-task!
(and just for accountability... conviction set in about midway through, and I left this writing off until I did NOT have a child sitting at my desk working through a problem! Our walk with Him is indeed a day by day, step by sometimes stumbling step process!)
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