Sunday, July 10, 2011

Absentmindedness......good, bad or natural?

Stories abound about absentmindedness. Mostly professors, eccentric geniuses, people near their golden years........and occasionally (relatively!) young,  intelligent, bright people like my friend who was flying home from a business meeting. He got to the airport with his friends. He was to board from gate 6, at 4 pm. 
"What time is your flight?" his friend asked him.
"I have plenty of time. My flight's at 6 pm, from gate 4," my friend replied, looking at his watch.
So what happened? Some neuronal circuits got swapped in his brain? And believe me, he is one of the brightest people I know. He had a flash of  "absentmindedness" that resulted in the ensuing confusion. How does that happen?

We all have been absentminded at one time or another. These are called action slips or mental lapses. Ever rushed upstairs and forgot why you were there? Or went grocery shopping and forgot the one thing that you really needed? (that's my specialty!) I have seen people look for their spectacles or shades which are actually perched on their heads.

So what is absentmindedness? Is it inattentiveness? Lack of concentration? Neuro-scientists insist that about 6-7 "mental lapses" per week are normal. And that is during routine, stress free circumstances. Increased stress, mental or physical, will inevitably lead to more absentmindedness. Busy lifestyles, the deluge of information-- e mail, internet, facebook-- definitely puts more demand on our time and minds. Sometimes, absentmindedness will graduate into forgetfulness. We all worry when we forget occasionally, that we are getting "old". Please don't -- its normal. Just ease up on the facebook time, cut down on the web browsing and see how much better your memory will work!

"I forget what I was taught. I only remember what I have learnt." ~ Patrick White

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