Men multitasking. The simplest definition of multitasking is the ability to deal with more than one task at the same time. It is most noticeably demonstrated by parenting skills which so often require maintaining concentration for the particular task in hand despite distractions and all the simultaneous demands of home and children. In other words, it is the ability to do more than one thing at a time. I’m not sure if political or gender correctness allows me to say it, but I think a few men are good at multitasking, but many women are excellent at it.

I’m always in awe of all multitaskers. Personally, I’m a one job at a time man and if I try doing two things at the same time it is usually a recipe for mediocrity or disaster. My only claim to successfully doing two things at once is that I can prepare the evening meal whilst drinking a gin and tonic. Otherwise, faced with several things needing attention at the same time I tend to revert to my well-practiced headless chicken dance.

Yet the demands of 21st century life often make multitasking a necessary prerequisite. This means that there are times when, in order to avoid overload, something has to go, something has to give. An important factor of busy Christian lives is that that something isn’t God. We all need a time of doing nothing in order to be reminded that God created us as human beings not human doings.

Anyway, recently I’ve discovered another multitask that I am gaining skill at – I can type Thought For Today at the same time as enjoying my morning coffee and eating toast. The evidence of this virtuoso is proven by the crumbs on my keyboard. But having opined that in general men aren’t the best multitaskers I was proved wrong when coming across a video of one male solo singer accompanying himself with an acapella seven-part harmony and descant.

Enjoy the video as, courtesy of technology and recording techniques, one man does seven things at the same time.