A few years ago, we purchased a printer—not as a luxury, but because we really needed one. So, we chose an HP model with multifunctional tasks: printing, scanning, and photocopying (faxing was not included). We still have it, and it’s working fine. We haven’t decided to replace it yet, because it’s just eight years old. However, technology has advanced rapidly in recent years, producing massive, unbelievable changes in the electric devices industry.
In comparison to the modern printers, our poor printer seems to have suddenly aged. Nowadays, we realise that it takes a few minutes, and sometimes even longer, to complete a print order, making us almost give up waiting. Not to mention, how it chugs along during printing, just like an old steam locomotive from the 19th century. Still, I find it really entertaining.
What about multitask printers? I read that they’re the postmodern generation of the multifunctional ones. They can print, scan, copy, and fax at the same time. Perhaps they can talk, maybe even walk. Isn’t that mind-blowing? But, they also say that these new-age printers, though very efficient, have a complex internal mechanism that makes their repair an awful nightmare. So, if it breaks down, you will cry your eyes out over the money you’ve spent because you’ll have no choice but to replace it. That’s why I wish my old printer a long, healthy life.
Now let’s move to the main point of this post. Do you prefer to be multifunctional or a multitasker? But first, let me share my perspective on both.
There’s both flexibility and practicality in being multifunctional as you can do certain jobs in your own time. However, being a multitasker is like being unbendable and machinery. Any multitasker has to handle more different tasks within nearly the same fixed timeframe just like a multitask printer.
If there’s anything that could summarise a multitasker’s life, there would be nothing better than a juggler tossing and catching balls into the air all his life. He smiles, perhaps laughs, and perhaps putting on a clown costume too—such a good player. But what a life to live when you can’t let go, when you can’t miss the ball, when you can’t stop to breathe, really breathe.
A multifunctional person’s life needs no juggling, no balls to toss and catch. You just pick the right job, just as the bowler picks the right ball. You handle one task at a time, taking your time to fulfill it before moving on to the next task. The bowler grips the ball, takes a good position, and throws it—done. He may hit the target, and he may not, but he does the job with careful calculations and adaptability.
Over the years, I have met many people. I saw how some made their life even harder by choosing to be multitaskers. And they complain about challenges and exhaustion. They wish others would lend a hand or that things were easier. But aren’t they the ones who chose to be the juggler? Why did they choose to work like multitask printers, taking on multiple tasks all at once?
“To be or not to be, that is the question.” is really a great slogan, but I prefer to live by this one: To live, and to choose how to live—that is the question.
With hope and peace,
Nahla
Pure and Simple 