Hello.  My name is Courtney and I am addicted to multi-tasking.  

I have been known to have on average about 10 tabs open in my internet browser.  It drives my husband – a self-proclaimed single-tasker– nuts and he has been known to close all my tabs when it really gets to him {which really gets to me}.  

I don’t know about you, but to me it makes perfect sense.  Yes, I am writing a blog post right now, but moments ago I was searching for flights for our Christmas vacation.  The Kayak.com tab remains open to remind me to book the flight after checking with the rest of the family.  Facebook and Gmail are permanently open tabs and occasionally Twitter and Pinterest enter the mix.  

Reading one article leads me to another one of interest, which I want to read later.  But first, time to make the kids lunches.  Oh yeah, what was that recipe for zucchini bread I wanted to make for them?  

You get the picture.

(photo source: The Telegraph Photolibrary)

For a mom, being a good multi-tasker is helpful.  For a working, pumping/breastfeeding mom, it is imperative.  

I still recall the feeling of those plastic flanges pressing against my left arm to hold pump parts in place as my right hand scrolled through emails on my Blackberry.  I didn’t have a hands-free pumping bra but was still able to multi-task.  20 minute pumping sessions add up!  A multi-tasking mom might drive herself crazy if she were not able to DO something while she pumps.

When I created the items for the Milk It Kit, I wanted to pay homage to all those hard-working multi-tasking pumping moms out there {see the pump bag tag photo above}, as I knew you would all “get it.”  

Yet for me, it might just be time to downshift.  When I started writing this post a few months ago, I think I was feeling a bit overwhelmed at the amount of multi-tasking I was doing and maybe a tiny bit negative {or very negative} about the amount of single-tasking my husband gets away with.  The blog post started off like this: “Not only has creating my own business taught me lessons about myself, but it has also taught me some interesting things about my husband, or more generally - men.  Most important lesson learned: Men are NOT good multi-taskers!”

While I still feel this is true, I don’t really want to bash my husband – who is great at a lot of things and a terrific dad – over the internet.  Especially since it was just his birthday {happy birthday babe!} and because recently I have started to appreciate the value of single-tasking {shh, don’t tell him!}.  

Lately, multi-tasking has granted me more strife than success.  It has caused me to develop annoying carpal tunnel syndrome from tapping away at the laptop at our kitchen counter during the precious “me moments” between preparing meals and washing dishes.  It has caused me to literally step in crap as I read emails on my phone.  It has lead me to back into concrete posts while simultaneously driving and thinking of the million things on my to-do list.  Bottom line, it has not done much for my sanity. 

However, it has resulted in some precious moments that I would not trade for anything.  Check out these photos of my daughters who took advantage of my computer multi-tasking while they turned an afternoon painting activity into a body art experiment and later, a green and red striped bath tub.

I still believe women kick ass at multi-tasking (and there is research to prove it!).  However, for my own sanity, I vow to try to be better at single-tasking or at least to SIT DOWN while I surf the web, and to enjoy and appreciate each moment a bit more.

Are you a multi-tasking mom?  Has it served you well or do you want to join me in the quest for single-tasking?