Busy Brain, Busy Body

Watching multiple films at the same time is strenuous. Human minds crumble under an ounce of parallel pressure.

Attention is slimy. Bending your brain back-and-forth makes a mess. Context-switching levies a heavy tax.

But your body does its own thing. Your muscles can doodle and drive and dance while your mind is elsewhere.

The only effective way to multitask is to pair a brain activity with a body activity. Work your mind while your muscles are on autopilot.

Categorize your to-do list into "busy brain" and "busy body" and "busy both" activities. Your mind and muscles can tackle their own task lists.

And after you've mastered multitasking, consider pursuing the joy of monotasking.

Examples

Autopilot activities for a busy brain:

• walking, cycling, driving
• basic cleaning and house chores
• light exercise
• basic landscaping
• knitting, crocheting, cross-stiching
• doodling
• slacklining
• showering
• waiting in a queue/waiting-room

Hands-free activities for a busy body:

• phone conversations, virtual meetings/classes/lectures
• listening to music/podcasts/audiobooks
• dictating ideas/essays/novels
• singing exercises
• listening to in-person meetings/classes/lectures
• planning, strategizing, reviewing, preparing
• practicing poetry and prose memorization

Complementary combinations:

• indoor cycle with audiobook
• gardening while chatting with friends
• house-cleaning during pointless meetings
• dictating novels/essays/ideas while driving
• finishing your homework during class
• singing and showering
• morning podcast with hygeine