How to put on the unitasking hat and speak French this year

HOW TO PUT ON THE UNITASKING HAT AND SPEAK FRENCH THIS YEAR

So, do you still take pride in being a great multitasker?

We all know that it is expected of us – wether at work, at school, even at home – that our attention be divided in multiple directions at once.

Even though it would apparently speed up productivity, the entire idea of multi-tasking is in fact an urban legend.

Not even Bob, my computer, can do it, he just does everything so fast that tricks me into getting all jealous.

Remember Josh Pais from last week?

He is back to explain to us that what we’ve been taught our entire life has been proved to be a dead-wrong theory.

Watch the video below to get a handle on putting on your unitasking hat and read on for Josh’s wisdom.

(This week: the verb METTRE – to put)

This is the second part of the interview I had with actor, director, writer and founder of “Committed Impulse”, Josh Pais.

I would like to thank him for graciously accepting to answer my questions!

Thank you so much, Josh, for being here with me, in the second part of our virtual interview!

As I was mentioning last week, our readers may not know, but I am one of your very loyal students. Committed Impulse is the one technique (or lifestyle) that helped me tremendously in my acting career, business and life.

While teaching French, I see speaking a new language like performing a play. You have to learn new words, somebody else’s language, then you have to be in the moment, to be in a conversation, to use them as if they were yours.

I know that you’ve just launched your online Committed Impulse program, which I am very excited to start. I’m convinced that all my students would greatly benefit from it.

Now to the next question, coming from my readers.

Q: How is being in the moment helping me slow down and why is slowing down important for language learning?

A: Well, for some of us slowing down is essential. Taking that deep breath, seeing what is in front of us and calmly focussing will allow for the most productive learning.

However, others of us may need to amp up a little bit if being lethargic is part of our comfort zone. For these learners, activating your energy and even picking up the inner pace will prove most rewarding in absorbing new material.

Q: Why is multitasking a technique that is said that doesn’t really help learning faster?

A: Multi-tasking is a bit of a myth. I mean, really, aren’t we only doing one thing at one particular moment? We may jump from one thing to another rapidly, but we are primarily focused on a single action in each moment.

And here’s the thing, Llyane. We don’t take into account that when we rapidly move from activity to activity there can be a cost. One, we may not be completing tasks. Two, we are not taking into account the adjustment time to go from one type of task to another. Three, we end up using a lot more creative/ body energy by jumping around between tasks.

Your students may want to explore only doing one task at a time and compare their end results and wellbeing to when they are “multi-tasking”.

Q: Why it takes me longer to learn something that I believe I am not good at, or I don’t like?

A: Well, when we are having those kinds of thoughts, that is what we are focussed on. Thus we decrease our ability to learn and absorb because we are caught in addictive thinking. The Committed Impulse Online Program teaches you how to snap out of this kind of abusive thinking, and to return to the fun of learning.

Thank you so much, Josh, for taking your time to answer to my readers. I am looking forward to do more practice in being in the moment with your online program, and to see you in May in New York City, for your Committed Impulse weekend intensive.

NOW IT IS YOUR TURN!
Tell us in the comments below, how do you practice unitasking and how does it help your productivity in learning French?

Let me guess.

Do you constantly have the feeling that you can’t hear what the French say and you don’t know how to read all the French words because they are written so much differently than they sound?

Learn 3 secrets that will help you be self sufficient in the way you pronounce French words – even if you don’t know what they mean – so that you can read that sophisticated menu in your favorite French restaurant.