What can happen in a year. Part two: Working

I overheard a conversation today between two young women. I say young women, but I would imagine the two of them nearing 30. Anyhow, two women much younger than me. One said to the other “Can't you multitask?” and the second said, “Of course.” I tried my best to keep a straight face and make it seem like I wasn't listening.

Multitask? I don't even know what that means.

As they moved away from me, I continued to wonder about the whole bit of multitasking. It makes just as little sense to me now as it ever has. In a big, big way, I am blessed to come from the low-fi, good ol' fashion analog days. There was not a constant distraction the way there is now. I do mean constant distraction. When I think about doing anything I do my best to just do that one thing. I cannot wash the dishes, talk on the phone and watch the news. I don't multitask.

Rather, I prefer to do one thing at a time and then move on to the next thing. I make lists upon lists and I do my best to start at the top and work my way down. It's just the way I get organized, I suppose.

Yet, in the course of a writing year, I'll write several short stories, fifty blog posts and with any luck a novel. I'll also work on the four issues of Umbrella Factory Magazine complete with a book publication and a Pushcart nomination. I do one task at a time—by which I mean—I have one item going at one time rather than fifteen windows open on my desktop at any moment.

I also feel like it was easier to work years ago because I had less distraction. The Internet has been a distraction for at least 20 years, but not like it is now. Between Facebook and Youtube and Stumble Upon and all the rest of it, hours and hours get dwindled in a day. Hours a day turn into dozens of hours in a week and hundreds in the course of a year. Hours and hours that could be better spent, right?

Staying focused on a writing task can be difficult in this age of multitasking and screen watching. Keeping pace with your writing, or any art, or anything should not be difficult. Just start at the top and work your way down. It will be amazing to see the output in a year.

Next time: Enjoying milestones and making an endgame.