Multi-tasking prevents creative thinking

Having taken detour in my last blog to highlight my enjoyable visit to Regents College, I want to return to “The idea that true leadership means being able to think for yourself and act on your convictions,” (William Deresiewiez).

There are things that hinder giving yourself to creative thinking. Over the next few posts I want to look at four challenges we face and then highlight a number of helps.

The first challenge is multi tasking. As a leader in a growing church I find that multi tasking is part of life and I think I am reasonable good at it. Deresiewiez refers to some research done on the idea that today’s college students were able to multitask so much more effectively than the previous generation.  “How do they manage to do it, the researchers asked? The answer, they discovered—and this is by no means what they expected—is that they don’t.” They also found that those who were high multi-taskers scored worse in a number of tests such as distinguishing between relevant and irrelevant information and amazingly the very thing that defines multitasking itself: switching between tasks.

I really enjoy doing most of the tasks that are in front of me. Even the ones I don’t want to do, I can put myself under pressure to fulfill them. Making a real difference in the city of Manchester involves finding adequate, quality time, to stop and think. It means making hard decisions on what is more important. As a multitasker I need to take time away from all of the jobs that demand my energy so that I can focus on the big ideas that bring growth.

To be continued

Multi-tasking prevents creative thinking

Having taken detour in my last blog to highlight my enjoyable visit to Regents College, I want to return to “The idea that true leadership means being able to think for yourself and act on your convictions,” (William Deresiewiez).