Are you present?

Do you ever have the feeling that you're skimming the top of life's experiences - from the mundane to the meaningful - and your enjoyment and memory recall of those events is seriously poor?

I used to think a multi-tasking mum was a signature of success - cooking dinner, baby under one arm, phone cradled in the other - a scene from my daily existence.

I couldn't have been more wrong. I wasn't getting things done more efficiently, I was exhausted.

It was when one too many people asked me 'what have you been up to lately' and I continually drew a blank (in fact, I couldn't remember what I was going 5 mins ago, let alone yesterday or last week) that I knew something was amiss.

My baby girl is turning one tomorrow and for the life of me I don't know where it's gone.

If your life is going by in a blur of overwhelm, exhaustion, and "flat-out" frenzy, maybe you're not really living. I've now got to agree with the scientists on this one - multi-tasking isn't making you productive, on-top, and connected ... it's slowing you down.

I read a fabulous article in the latest issue of Vogue Australia if you want more stats (ie: proof) on what the researchers are saying on how your brain prefers to work and the role of your hippocampus in all of this. Suffice to say, our brains and bodies are more efficient, productive, creative and in-flow if we focus on one task at a time. Try it for one day.

By far the biggest bonus I'm experiencing in all of this is re-establishing presence. I'm feeling more connected with myself, my children and partner, and getting more work done in a more timely, satisfying and focused way. When I'm spending time with the kids or just doing mindless web surfing and online shopping, it's an experience I don't feel gets shoved into my day that's only half-done or laden with guilt.

So go on, ditch your crackberry, turn off your Facebook / Twitter auto alerts, go for a run without your iPod and I promise, you'll be more aware and might actually enjoy less time-tension and greater presence and life-recall along the way.