MULTISLACKING

Multisclacking, from the urban dictionary: doing multiple slackeresque things concurrently. It occurs to me that those of us who are 'multitaskers' will find it easy to be 'multislackers' when we decide to goof off. This made me think of some of the ways that people can slack off. A healthy way is to pay attention when you need to slow down to regenerate yourself. Everyone's battry needs charging from time to time.

It is said that people use their executive processing when they do several things at one time. That sounds great but I question whether it is really a choice at all, or whether one is just the kind of person who can only focus when all senses and brain function abilities are being used at the same time. There are people in my life who want me to give them my undivided attention. They do not understand that I cannot listen to them if I am not knitting, sketching, glancing through a catalog, playing Free Cell on the computer or any of a myriad of other things. If I am not otherwise partially engaged, my mind wanders and I find it difficult to focus on what they are saying...often because I have found that people who demand your undivided attention are responding to others in their life who find them boring and clearly no longer listen and are not spellbound by them. I've met a few other people, as I, who read a book as they watch television. I am apt to fall asleep if I don't have something physical as well as mental to keep me awake.

As for the multislacking, that is yet another process for me. I have to work to cleanse my mind of all the things I 'should' be doing in order to relax and do what I want to do. Part of the only way it will work for me is to shut the world out. Phone calls, which I am always compelled to answer when I hear them, are intrusions. For that reason, I have to carefully plan my rare days of multislacking. It is not fun to multislack if you think you are letting people down, in some way, who might be waiting for you to finish something for them. My ideal multislacking is when it is horrible weather outside, no one is likely to arrive, I don't have to get dressed, and can read or play in my jewelry studio, or with the computer. One must be able to suppress the 'you have to accomplish something' gene since most people have to do good for others or make a product of some sort.

It is my belief that we all must balance the stress in our lives with whatever works for us. Some do Yoga, some do Transcendental Meditation, other get themselves deep massage, and there are many more choices. I prefer physical comfort in the familiarity of my own home doing anything that gives pleasure to all my senses and is totally without stress. Multislacking starts the day with not having to get dressed, choosing whether to make the bed, do the breakfast dishes, or just let all those chores go and give yourself over to feeling free of all responsibility but that of making sure you relax.

Follow the rule: If you want to fall asleep, only go to bed when you are sleepy!