Tell me if this is like you: I feel pretty darn proud of myself when I can change a diaper, talk on the phone with my mom, and help my 5 year-old do his homework ALL at the same time. I’m like a machine… a time-genius machine. You get me, right? I feel a little like superwoman.
I FEEL like a super-human diaper changing, phone talking, homework helping multi-tasker, but in reality I’m confusing my brain cells, being inefficient, and making mistakes!
Unfortunately, the brain at this point is turning into goo. Okay, it’s really not, but scientists call it “gray matter” and goo is just what came to my mind.
Simply put, your brain has a message system that moves from the back of the brain where the goal is made to “help my son with his homework” to the front of the brain (where your hands and mind decide to move, focus, and help). When this process is interrupted by a second goal (talking to your mom), the process in the brain for this goal and action still has to happen, from the back to the front, so your brain divides and conquers; the left side doing one task, while the right performs the other task. When the brain divides, your productivity, brain health, and accuracy decline.
It’s sad, but better to be informed! Multi-tasking doesn’t seem as heroic as it once did, am I right? Not only is your brain giving partial effort and accuracy to each job, your son senses your focus is divided and that’s an added blow to his self-confidence as well.
Now let's take this information to a spiritual activity.
Let’s pretend President Nelson’s council keeps ringing in my ears (because it does). He says:
“It is now time that we each implement extraordinary measures—perhaps measures we have never taken before—to strengthen our personal spiritual foundations. Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures.”
I look up the word unprecedented: “Never done or experienced before”
Hmmm… and i really start thinking deeply about this quote… and a text message comes through so I hurry and look at it. And laugh at the emoji, then return to my thought from President Nelson…
Okay, what was I doing… oh yah.
You get it, right? If I want to have a spiritual connection, which creates, WITHOUT QUESTION, spiritual confidence, I need to single-task my spiritual activity. That might require me to turn my phone off, dust off my scriptures, and figure out where the book of Moses really is, but I CAN DO IT. I need to eliminate distractions if my brain is going to support my goal to feel better, be better, and do better.
So here is your question, and it’s a good one:
What unprecedented activity do you need to single-task? What repeated spiritual action will bring you more connection than any other at this season of your life?
Commit to yourself by sharing it in the comments below. Writing your goals down increases your likelihood of accomplishing them. Sharing them with others increases your likelihood exponentially! I am convinced a thought or feeling has come to your mind already, I know it has (point to the screen). That’s because a Father in Heaven loves you, speaks to you, and is inviting you to change through the power of His Son’s atonement. And he always does it the MOMENT we ask.
AND If you’re not signed up for our newsletter. Head on over and get us in your inbox for weekly uplifting tips. And if this video was helpful, please, please, like it so other people know it’s worth their time because they’ll trust you more than they trust me!
Our hope, our prayer, our work is that you find a resource or product here that magnifies your ability to connect, hear Him, and live a spiritually confident life!