Thursday, March 10, 2011

Booking Through Thursday--Multi-tasking


Here's today's Booking Through Thursday question:

Do you multi-task when you read? Do other things like stirring things on the stove, brushing your teeth, watching television, knitting, walking, et cetera?

Or is it just me, and you sit and do nothing but focus on what you’re reading?

(Or, if you do both, why, when, and which do you prefer?)

I don't truly multi-task when I read. I can't watch TV and read at the same time, because I find myself focusing on only one thing, either the book or the TV. Every time I've tried to walk and read, I bump into something. I do, however, take a book everywhere, so that in every spare minute in the doctor's waiting room or carpool line, I read.

I can't imagine knitting and reading--I can barely knit, so I'm either squinting at the yarn and the needles, or at the knitting pattern. Watching TV while knitting is hard enough, I can't imagine reading and knitting.

For me, books shut everything else out. That's why I started reading in the first place, to be carried away from real life. Even if I try to do something else while reading, I can't really focus, and most often find myself only reading.

How about you?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mostly, I like a quiet place to read.

Sally said...

I find even when I start multi-tasking like reading and watching tv I always end up only concentrating on the book - I love them to much.
Sally.
http://theelifylop.blogspot.com/2011/03/booking-through-thursday-9.html

Anonymous said...

I used to knit and read, but I gave up the knitting when I got a cat. I still read though, and I multitask: http://mostraum.wordpress.com/2011/03/10/booking-through-thursday-multitasking/

Rose said...

I read. I can barely cope with music let alone any other task - although tea, biscuits etc don't count as 'tasks'.

How on earth would you knit and read? where is the book? how do you turn the pages? and knitting is sooo difficult and annoying (give me a hook anyday)!

Gentle Reader said...

Tribute Books Mama--Ahh, a quiet place to read, that is heaven!

Sally--I hear you! Most times, that's what happens to me, too. I find I tune everything else out except the book.

mostraum--wow, I wish I could multitask, but I can't seem to concentrate on more than one thing at once :)

Rose--I don't know how anyone knits and reads--that is way beyond me! I can eat and read, but I'm eating mindlessly, and that's no good! I never listen to music while reading, either--too much outside stimulation :)

Jeane said...

I can stir the soup while reading, or tend to a kid in the bath, or even read next to my hubby while he watches sports. But anything that takes concentration or focus can't get multitasked with reading. I find I'm loosing something, either way. Oh, and I can always snack while reading! That's easy, ha ha!

Gentle Reader said...

Jeane--I love the picture in my head of you stirring the soup with a book open!!

Rebecca H. said...

The only thing I do while I'm reading is eat or drink. Anything more complicated than that, and I can't concentrate. I'm highly distractable and struggle to focus sometimes, so definitely no multi-tasking for me!

Anonymous said...

Although I am a multi-tasker, not when I am reading. I am so engrossed in my book that to do anything else would leave me w/memory loss of what I tried to do while reading.

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