BRYCE ON LIFE
– Is it because we cannot perform a task like we did when we were younger?
(Click for AUDIO VERSION)
To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, send TIM a request.
I have found the study of the aging process to be interesting; somewhat annoying, but interesting nevertheless. Last year I wrote a column titled, “Slowing Down,” (June 5, 2015) where I made the observation we slow down, not necessarily because of our physical prowess, but because we become more sensitive to our limitations and smarter in terms of their use.
I would like to amend my premise slightly, as we can blame a certain degree of physicality for slowing us down. Consider this; when we’re young, we’re faster, stronger, and more coordinated. However, as we get older we find we cannot perform tasks as rapidly as we could before, e.g., we cannot multitask as we did in our youth. For example, I prize myself on the speed by which I use a computer, but I recognize I’m slowing down a bit by becoming more cautious in my execution as I despise making a mistake and having to re-do something. Whereas we used to have a good reaction time, now we occasionally drop things. And this irritates us to no end.
Inevitably, this irritation causes us to rethink what we are doing and, instead of making ourselves angry, we decide to slow down a bit. Whereas we could handle the pressure more easily in our youth, now we tend to become grumpy and cantankerous when we cannot.
Recently, I found myself slowing down just for this purpose. Instead of becoming obsessed with a task I was working on, I decided to step back, take a breath, and slowed down. In other words, we slow down in order to maintain our sanity.
Maybe this is why older people tend to drive in the right lane when they are on the Interstate highway. It’s irritating when they refuse to get out of the left lane. This is a matter of not admitting you’re growing older.
Recognizing this, maybe I was right with my original premise that we do get smarter as we get older. Maybe there is truth in the old Dutch proverb, “We get too soon old and too late smart.”
Also published with News Talk Florida.
Keep the Faith!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at [email protected]
For Tim’s columns, see: timbryce.com
Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.
Copyright © 2016 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
NEXT UP: HONORING YOUR COMMITMENTS – Is it good business to do so?
LAST TIME: A NEW WAR BETWEEN THE STATES? – It’s already here and New York cast the first shot in the LGBT debate.
Listen to Tim on WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; KIT-AM (1280) in Yakima, Washington “The Morning News” with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific); and WWBA-AM (News Talk Florida 820). Or tune-in to Tim’s channel on YouTube.