Looking back upon my past connection to jugglers and their ability to keep multiple objects in the air at the same time serves as the inspiration to write an account from a modern-day perspective.
My Introduction to Juggling
During the early 1980s, I sought ways to fill the void in my life after I quit a 9-to-5 job that failed to take full advantage of my naturally creative talents and interests. One such activity that I pursued was juggling, which enabled me to learn a new skill and expand my network of friends and contacts.
While keeping three rubber balls or bean bags in the air at the same time was fun and easy, I wasn't motivated to learn and practice what it takes to juggle four or more objects. Over the years, I gradually stopped juggling and gave away most of my props to charity. The one time I put my juggling skills on public display was when I was cast in a community theater production of "Lady in the Dark" in 1996 and appeared as one of the circus performers during one of the dream sequences in the play.
Have We Become More or Less Productive by Multitasking?
During the pre-Internet era of the '70s, '80s, and '90s, the technological landscape was far less developed than today, so we didn't have access to as many electronic gadgets that could distract us. Landlines were commonly used to make phone calls, while in-person meetings and get-togethers were the norm.
In 1982 Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson co-authored a New York Times best-selling book called "The One Minute Manager" that outlined techniques designed to increase productivity and become a more effective manager. Combining the message of this best seller with the rapid acceptance and rollout of desktop computers, smart phones, and tablets have been instrumental in convincing a large number of working people to become multitaskers in an attempt to accomplish more within the same block of time.
In 2021 Kendra Cherry authored a report posted on Verywell Mind called “How Multitasking Affects Productivity and Brain Health” that warned readers about the downside of multitasking.
Multitasking seems like a great way to get a lot done at once, but research has shown that our brains are not nearly as good at handling multiple tasks as we like to think they are. In fact, some research suggests that multitasking can actually hamper your productivity by reducing your comprehension, attention, and overall performance.
Multitasking as a Career Development Tool
In 1991 my full-time position was eliminated by my employer which was a traumatic blow to my self-esteem and income production. The following months and years forced me to improve my job skills and determine whether I wanted to be self-employed or work for an employer.
To answer that question, I took on a variety of low-paying and pro bono assignments that developed and demonstrated my ability to function as a writer, researcher, graphic designer, video editor, and multi platform computer specialist. Although I eventually accepted a tech support job with a software developer, I only stayed for 3 years before I cashed out my stock options and moved on to self-employment.
Juggling Life's Challenges Today
The trials and tribulations of the past seem trivial compared to what we face today. Of course, the passage of time has dimmed our impartial perspective.
After 25 years, I distanced myself from my tech roots to promote sales of a food supplement. While I use a desktop computer and cell phone to support my online business, I am content using equipment that is not state-of-the-art.
Recently I have been forced to deal with several challenging situations at the same time.
First, my sister is unable to take care of herself at home after being released from the hospital where she spent nearly a month as a patient. I am awaiting a call back from my sister's primary care physician to determine if a caregiver can be assigned to her.
Second, I doing what I can to maintain a normal relationship with my roommate who fell ill last weekend and later self-diagnosed herself as being afflicted with Covid-19.
Third, my weekdays are now characterized by the jackhammering and constant noise produced by a city project that involves the replacement of water and sewage pipes that run along a heavily traveled street located one black from my house. While this third item is not life-threatening, it is very disruptive and is not expected to be completed until fall 2022.
This, too, shall pass. Viewed through the 20-20 lens of human experience, I am not fooled or troubled by appearances. According to Scripture, we are not given more than what we can handle.
Moreover, I am not the same man that I was 30 or 40 years ago — both in physical form and how I have come to understand the nature of life, which is recreating itself out of the ashes of the Old World that is collapsing all around us.