Multitasking and Your Immune System

Autoimmune diseases are becoming more common in this day and age. There are many reasons for that: people are taking more pharmaceutical drugs recommended by their doctors and promoted by the industry; people's health has declined in spite of the advancement of modern medicine; people are become more stressed.

Stress is the underlying cause of many autoimmune diseases. Stress is often self-induced; one wants to do more to accomplish more; this mindset has led to multitasking.

According to a recent CNN report on multitasking: 

(CNN) Our brains on multitasking aren't nearly as good as we think they are. Let's say you're working on an activity over here, on the right side of the brain, and suddenly you're trying to multitask another activity, like talking on the phone.

You're not actually doing both activities at the same time, in fact, you're now diverting your attention from one part of your brain to another part of your brain. That takes time, that takes resources, that takes brain cells.

What happens on the other side of the brain is that you're starting a brand new activity, so in fact you're probably slower and not nearly as good at doing both activities at the same time."

The bottom line: multitasking does not increase your mind power. Quite the contrary, multitasking can damage your brain cells. How? When you are multitasking, you are directly or indirectly creating undue stress for yourself, and stress causes hormonal dysfunction that impairs neurotransmitters in your brain. To enhance your mind power, do just the opposite -- focusing your mind on the present, instead of projecting it into the future (which is what multitasking is all about).  Presence of mind gives clarity and relaxation to enhance your mind power.

Multitasking is certainly not the art of living well. Read my book THE BOOK OF LIFE AND LIVING..

This 200-page book is full of wisdom based on the author’s extensive research and personal experience. In this book, you will learn the following:

(1) Eliminating unproductive thoughts, and overcoming chaotic struggles in your inner world and outer life to enhance health and performance, master stress, and deepen appreciation of life.

(2) Understanding the essentials of contemporary wisdom and ancient wisdom to help you contemplate and internalize their respective meanings and values in your daily life

(3) Harnessing mind power to operate your mind to integrate the acquired knowledge into your daily activities

The antidote to multitasking is letting go. It's not easy because we all have a preconditioned mindset that "doing more for more." Ironically, it could be the other way around: "getting more for less." Get the wisdom of letting go.

Visit my new website: Health and Wisdom Tips.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau