The Hidden Cost of Multitasking
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[00:00:00] You're busy. I'm busy. We're all busy. Many parents feel this constant pressure to be everywhere, do everything, and just manage everything seamlessly. When it's going well, you may wear multitasking like some type of badge of honor. Priding yourself on the ability to juggle the endless responsibilities between work, home, kids, personal commitments, everything all at once.
But what if multitasking is quietly damaging one of the most important aspects of your entire life? What if in trying to do it all, you're sacrificing the very relationships that matter most to you, your connections with your children. Research has shown that multitasking doesn't actually boost productivity or effectiveness.
And that was pretty disappointing for me to learn. Instead, it divides your attention, increases your stress, and ultimately [00:01:00] detracts from the quality of time that you're able to spend with your family. In parenting, multitasking can create emotional distance. It can make your child feel less seen, heard, and valued.
On the surface, multitasking seems like it's a win win situation. You're answering emails while supervising your kids. You're making dinner while you're helping with homework. You're squeezing in your social media time during family time. It almost feels like you're accomplishing so much more with so much less time.
But the reality is quite different. Multitasking often leads to divided attention, more mistakes being made, and in parenting it can damage the bond between you and your child. Children, especially our younger children, Thrive on your undivided attention. They may not verbalize it, they don't know how to ask for it, but they notice when you're only halfway present.
When you're [00:02:00] nodding along while you scroll through your phone, or you're offering and distracted, uh huh, sure, okay, as you manage a bunch of other tasks at the same time. These moments send an unspoken message that you're here, but your child isn't your top priority in this moment. And over time, that can start to erode your relationship and make your child feel like they have to compete for your attention.
With everything else on your to do list or worse, give up on trying to get your attention as parents. We need to be aware that every interaction, even the seemingly mundane ones build the foundation of trust, security and emotional health for our kids.
Do you want to create peace in your home and be the best parent you possibly can be? Are you ready to feel confident and clear in your decisions? Do you wish you could navigate conflicts and challenges calmly and effectively? Well, there's a way to overcome the [00:03:00] roadblocks that are standing between you and the family life you've prayed for, so that you can create consistent routines, find fulfillment and balance, and thrive in your life and family.
Hi friends, I'm Katy Bordeaux, host of Raising Faithful Families, founder of Covenant Collections Christian Parenting Company, and a certified parenting and family coach. In this podcast, I'll guide you on how to find balance and fulfillment without adding stress or sacrificing precious time, create peace in your home, become the parent God has called you to be, strengthen your connection with God and with your family, navigate life using biblical wisdom and Christian values.
And experience growth spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and practically as a parent and as an individual. I'm here to help your family be its best for each other so that you can be your best for the kingdom of God. It's time to create a home filled with love, faith, and true joy. Let's thrive together [00:04:00] with God at the center every step of the way.
I pray this blesses you. Let's get started.
Children don't just need your presence. They need your full undivided attention.
No, not all the time. Of course, you have other things you have to get done and you do have other priorities. But they need eye contact, active listening, and engagement to feel connected, loved, and valued in your relationship with them. Studies show that when parents are more present and focused during interactions, it strengthens a child's emotional intelligence and it builds their self esteem.
It's in these focused moments that children feel safe to express their thoughts and emotions because they know they're truly being heard. When you give them your undivided attention, you build trust and intimacy. But, when you're constantly distracted, whether it's by your phone, by work, or just the pressure of daily life, your children can start to [00:05:00] feel that they aren't important.
And this can lead to behavioral issues, acting out for attention, or emotional withdrawal. In a world where distractions are everywhere, carving out time for focused, intentional parenting is more important than ever. Parenting today is not easy. Many of us struggle to balance work, home, faith, personal time.
And in doing so, you may often feel disconnected or overwhelmed. This is where the Calm and Confident Club can come in. That's a safe space for parents to break free from the overwhelm of modern parenting. It's designed to offer you hands on support, education and resources to help you show up as the best version of yourself for your family.
I understand that being present for your children in a meaningful way can be hard when you're constantly pulled in different directions. So the club helps you address those challenges and equips you with the [00:06:00] tools to prioritize what matters most without having to feel like you're falling short. So if you're struggling with distraction, stress, or.
feeling like you're being stretched too thin. The calm and confident club can provide just the guidance and encouragement that you need. This is where parents come to learn how to lead their families with purpose, how to overcome obstacles, how to develop intentional habits that foster deep, meaningful connections with their Children.
So join us in the common confident club and discover how to become the parent you've always wanted to be. for both yourself and your family. That's at covenant collections. com slash club, or it'll be linked in the description. When you consciously make the decision to let go of multitasking and focus on being fully present, the positive effects extend far beyond the immediate moment.
Your child will notice the change. They'll see a parent who listens, engages, and is [00:07:00] deeply interested in their world. This, in turn, helps them feel secure, valued, and loved. So not only will your child respond to this shift, but you as a parent will also start to feel more in tune with your family's needs.
You'll begin to experience less stress yourself, more patience, and an overall sense of calm as you begin to become more and more intentional with your time. Parenting will feel less like a race to keep up and more like the fulfilling, joyful experience that you always hoped it would be. Have you ever heard the saying, if the devil can't make you bad, he'll make you busy?
For the longest time, I didn't fully grasp the weight of that statement. But as life became increasingly overwhelming, with work, home, church, family, I began to understand how distraction can be one of the enemy's most effective weapons. Many people are distracted, [00:08:00] and it's not because they're, Not committed, but it's sometimes it's because they're over committed and that's exactly where the enemy wants us So busy, stretched so thin, that we miss the most important moments with our families and our faith.
We're never catching up to live in our God given purpose at our fullest potential. Now, why would the enemy want us distracted? Because it's easier to deceive you when you're overwhelmed. When you're too busy to pause and reflect, you're more susceptible to stress, worry, and fear. You can lose sight of the peace that comes from God's promises, and instead allow anxiety to start to creep in.
We can become reactive instead of proactive. And in this state, you're less equipped to lead your children in faith. You're less able to show up with patience. And you're more prone to letting the distractions of the world take center stage in your life. Scripture encourages us to be slow [00:09:00] to anger and quick to listen and to cast all your anxieties on God because he cares for you.
These principles can guide you in parenting as well. When you approach and love your child with patience and present, you model the love of Christ. You create an environment where they can thrive, knowing they're seen and valued not just by you, but by their Heavenly Father as well. As a parent, you're called to store your child's heart.
Being present is one of the most powerful ways that you can fulfill that calling. This allows you to be emotionally available, spiritually attentive. And more in tune with their needs. Your child is not an interruption to your busy life. They are the reason for it by living out your faith in intentional focused ways You can create a home that's filled with god's peace joy and love So let's talk about some practical ways to kind of avoid and be proactive against [00:10:00] distracted parenting One of the first things you can do is create tech free zones and times.
This is boundaries around when and where you use technology. You can establish tech free times during meals or family activities and make sure that you're present in those moments. Next is time blocking for increased efficiency. Instead of multitasking, you'll schedule specific times for different tasks.
Work during work time, parent during family time. This not only helps you focus, but it also allows you to be fully engaged in whatever it is that you're doing. Next is mindful parenting. Practice being fully present in the moment with your child. Whenever they speak to you, put your phone away, make eye contact, and actively listen.
Let them know that their words matter. Next, we're going to prioritize rest. Because when you're exhausted, it's so much easier to get distracted. Prioritizing rest, both for yourself and your family, will [00:11:00] help ensure that you're emotionally and mentally available when it matters most. Then, you have to delegate and simplify, because you don't have to do everything, sometimes you can't do everything.
You have to learn to say no to over commitment and delegate wherever possible, because simplifying your schedule frees up time for more focused, meaningful interactions with your kids. Multitasking might make you feel productive in the short term, but it comes at a cost. Over time, it weakens your ability to connect deeply with your children.
Parenting, it's not about perfection. It is about presence. It's about showing up, being engaged and giving your child the attention they need to thrive emotionally and spiritually. So choose presence over perfection. They will remember the moments that you were truly there, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally with them as well.
And as you cultivate these moments, you'll see how a more [00:12:00] intentional present approach to parenting brings the peace, joy that you desire and a stronger bond with your children.
I hope you found this episode valuable friend and I pray that you're walking away with a new insight perspective or idea to implement Remember that God gives you everything you'll ever need to thrive And I appreciate that you've taken the time to spend here with us today If you enjoy our podcast, please subscribe so you never miss an episode And if you wouldn't mind just take 30 seconds to leave a review So that we can continue to reach more parents like us.
I would appreciate that so much So, so much. Reach out if there's any way I can support you. And I'll talk to you soon. Thanks for listening.
