The Social Media Challenge, Part 1, "The Motive"

So I just read an article. I'll give you my take on it, but first, here's the link. For the non internet savvy, click the blue word back there. It'll take you somewhere else...

Go ahead and take a minute to read it. You never know. I might just lie about what I think or what it's even about to throw you off. I'm sneaky like that...

Ok, for those that took time to read the article, here's my personal summary:

We've been told for the last 10-15 years that an ideal candidate for hire in just about any career path is the ability to multitask, and at increasingly higher levels. Juggle your responsibilities, all at the very same time, and you get more done that way, right? Wrong, according to this most recent in a slew of studies about the mental effects of multitasking.

Here is what multitasking doesn't actually do:

• Doesn't help you focus
• Doesn't help you ignore irrelevant info
• Doesn't improve your memory
• Doesn't help switch between tasks more quickly
• Doesn't help switch between tasks more quickly
• Doesn't help switch between tasks more quickly (the third time shows it was intentional)

Check this quote out from the article. This sums it up best for me:

"They couldn't help thinking about the task they weren't doing," Ophir said. "The high multitaskers are always drawing from all the information in front of them. They can't keep things separate in their minds."

The only thing that high levels of multitasking seems to accomplish is to prevent us from relating to the world around us (which requires focus, ignoring TONS of irrelevant info, memory, and switching to doing something else). This has me remembering a commercial I saw from a cable company... The only reason that commercial was even funny was that I live with a televisaphonernetter. If you don't understand that term, it's because you didn't click the blue link back there. Just sayin'...

So here's what I'm thinking. I'm thinking I'm going to be challenging myself and, well, the rest of the world, to a Social Media Challenge. Details to follow, but it's going to involve logging out of all social media platforms for 1 entire week. Now right away, I know that causes a panic for some people. My televisaphonernetter included. Right away, when I told her what I was thinking, she responded with, "Yeah, I won't be taking that challenge." Now understand, she's a self-employed professional wedding photographer in Charlotte (with a snazzy website if I do say so myself), and social media is her primary form of communication for business. That, I understand. But for the vast majority of us, social media plays a minuscule role in our work lives. So the question is, do you still have the remaining brain capacity to relate to the world around you without social media distraction?

We'll be in touch. Keep an eye out for Part 2, the "The Method"