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Multitasking

Jun 22, 2014Canadian, Life&Food, Science&Tech

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Preparation
CONSIDER

Do men and women think differently?

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Transcript
José Cruz: Umm I wanted to ask you about that article because, um I want to present that to my students, uh…

Alex Bodnar: What article?

José: Uh, the one about, men and women think differently.

Alex: Uh-huh Uh-huh. Yeah, what about it?

José: Uh, well you’re successfully married…

Alex: Really? He he.

José: Well as opposed to me who is unsuccessfully married, because I’m not married anymore.

Alex: Right. Right.

José: What, what’s your take“your take” means your idea or, your opinion on that?

Alex: Uh, about the fact that men and women think differently?

José: Yeah, or… thi- the particular aspect of of that article was that men tend to think about single things and that women tend to multitask.

Alex: I I think I can relate with that because uh, you know with, when my, when I’m uh doing something on the computer or reading something and my wife is saying something, then uh, I may pretend to uh, listen and and uh, understand uh, what was just spoken but…

José: You may pretend but you- But…

Alex: But, yeah or I may have to stop what I’m doing and and uh completely focus- focus my attention. Uh, but maybe that’s not a proper example. Uh (uh-huh) I think I think that applies to both sexes uh that kind of example, right? If someone’s talking to you then uh, it’s… depending on the task that you’re doing you know uh, if you’re maybe reading a news article uh, you can’t really read and and uh listen attentively to someone asking you a question at the same time.

José: I kind of think so too, you know. Um, I I- I’m not really even sure that, the… When you look at the word “multitask” that sounds so much so much – there’s there’s it’s almost like, um, how can I say?José was having trouble choosing his words, but he didn’t want to stop talking so he repeated words until he knew what he wanted to say.
That the word “multitask” itself sounds so much more powerful than “single-tasking”. It- there’s an- there’s a natural sort of uh tendency to think “Oh if you’re a multitasker that’s a good thing, and if you’re only focused on one thing that’s a bad thing.” But, just to take your example about how listening to a person. (Mm) Um, if a woman, if that article is true, and a woman really does tend to be a multitasker, (uh-huh) that means that she’s not- even if she was listening, and that article is true, if she was listening to her natural degree of multitasking style, she’s not going to give you her full attention. Whereas a man will give you his full attention as long as that’s what he’s giving his attention to.

Alex: Mmm. That’s a good point. Yeah, yeah.

José: I, and and I, I think like you were I think sort of alluding to, it- it’s really not uh um uh, something specific to sexes. I think it’s it’s more specific to individuals. Uh, but that’s just me. That’s my feeling. That article was saying there’s some science, there’s some data to it. Mm I’m- I I just wanted to get a different take on it because I wasn’t quite sure about uh, the whole article myself.

Alex: I don’t know. The the article didn’t really uh, say enough. It started with the example of uh uh, a shopping list, you know, you go buy milk, (Right) uh the man just buys the milk and nothing else that’s on the list. And then the woman uh, buys other stuff. Uh, is is, is that a sign of a woman multitasking and thinking of various things at once, or could that be a sign of distraction…

José: Yup, that’s a really good point.

Alex: …uh while walking through the aisles

José: That’s a really good point. Yeah, that’s a really good point. And is it necessarily a good thing? I mean, if if you go- if, OK, specifically too, if your wife says, “Honey can you go get some milk?” And you go get milk, is that a bad thing? I mean especially too, if you go get milk you get it done in five minutes. And then if your wife (Yeah) If if the article is true. Your wife goes to go get milk, and then she spends (mm-hmm) 45 minutes at the supermarket getting onions and potatoes and everything else, and she was expected to be back for for whatever appointment, uh. And she takes 45 minutes, (Only?) you know. Uh, is is that necessarily a good thing I- I don’t know tho’, you know, like…

Consolidation
DISCUSSION

Are you a multitasker?

Can you think of any other ways men and women think differently?

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Speakers

José Domingo Cruz image

José Domingo Cruz

Canadian

Vancouver, British Columbia

Alex Bodnar Image

Alex Bodnar

Canadian

Harriston, Ontario


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15 Comments

  1. I want to be a multitasker.

    Reply
  2. Maybe I don’t multitasker,because I focus one thing,I cannot do other things.

    Reply
  3. I think this discussion is very interesting. My mother buys a lot when she goes shopping. Multitasking skill is given for all people but I think the degree of given is different between men and women.

    Reply
  4. There’re some points I can’t listen to. I’m not good at listening.

    Reply
  5. This is a interesting topic
    I think women has a useful abirity !!

    Reply
  6. At first,I couldn’t understand the mean of this word ”multitask”.In discussion,I could understand the mean.I think I’m multitasker.Sometimes,I can do some action at the same time,but my boyfriend he can’t do that at the same time.I’m interesting in single things and multitask.

    Reply
  7. I’m a title multitasker.
    When I’m fighting with my husband,I’m always thinking about all the fight we had,and I say you are not tender to me at all,but he just thinking about the reason of we fight this time.
    Then he always think I’m weird,and a new fight will begin.

    Reply
  8. I’m not a multitasker, so I’m always told off at the store I’m working at.
    I envy maltitasker.

    Reply
  9. I agree with men tend to think about single task, and woman tend to think multitask.
    I feel it in usually communication.

    Reply
  10. I disagree this opinion. I do not think that women is multitask. My father listens to my talking while he uses computer. My mother cannot that. I think that multitask is not relatede to sexes.

    Reply
  11. this article is very interesting. i’m not multitasker. if i am sporken to by others when i am reading,i feel annoyed.i can focus just single things.

    Reply
  12. When I go stores of clothes, I examine “which one is cheaper?” or “which one is better for me?”. That’s why these actions will connect my own lives.

    Reply
  13. I agree with this article. It takes women a long time to buy something. If I want to buy something, it doesn’t take a long time. But, I choose only one thing I want.

    Reply
  14. I don’t think there is different between men and women.
    I’m a woman, however I’m not multitasker. I’m bad at multitasking.Maybe I’m a tactless person.
    Regardless of the sex, I think it’s personality.
    I don’t know it’s a good being multitasker or not being multitasker, but I am attracted to multitasker.

    Reply
  15. In this article, I learned that men tend to think about one thing, and women tend to multitask. I found this human characteristic very interesting. At first glance, multi-tasking is better than a single task. But a single task has the advantage of being able to think simply and focus on things. I don’t think there’s any more meaning in which one is better. Because people live with each other, both of which are indispensable. Nevertheless, you should be able to do both single-task and multi-task to a certain extent. Maybe because I’m a man, I’m good at a single task as the article says. Therefore, they can concentrate very much on studying and manufacturing. However, cooking and scientific experiments that require multi-tasking are often confusing. I’m not good at multi-tasking, so I’ve been trying to grow up by cooking my own meals lately. This time, I’m glad to know why men work from ancient times and women share housework. I think we’ll need both in the future, so I’ll try to train both in a balanced manner. Or I want a wife who is good at multi-tasking.

    Reply

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