A little over 2 weeks ago, I started sewing my Spring 2023 wardrobe.  Since then, I have completed 3 skirts, 2 pants, 7 tops, and 1 cardigan. That means there is just one piece left to complete and it is almost finished, too, all thanks to being a single-task sewist.

Secrets and tricks

You might think I’m a speedy fast sewist to have made 13 garments in that time, but I am not. You might think I have nothing else going on. I have a few things going on.

There are some tricks that I used that you can read about in my post about planning my wardrobe, like picking some tried and true patterns and batch sewing. But my bigger secret to success is that I am a single-tasker.

I used to be a multitasker

Those inspiring “get-it-all-done” YouTube videos showing you someone making it through their to-do list with only a minor hiccup used to be all over my feed!  However, it was hard to get it all done and even when I did, I wasn’t very happy. 

I felt burnt out and disappointed that I didn’t enjoy little moments of fun throughout my day.  This is because I was thinking about what I should be doing or the next thing I should be doing… and also that other thing. It contributed to a sense of anxiety.

The pitfalls of multitasking

Do you always seem to have 60 tabs open in your brain and think you are on the path to “getting it all done”?  You’re probably not getting it all done like you think you are and you can look up a bunch of research that will tell you that.  Multitasking is not all it is cracked up to be.

These are just two articles among many articles, studies and books that explain the problems with multitasking: Why multitasking does more harm than good and Why Multitasking Doesn’t Work. In short, multitasking limits performance, leads to inefficiencies, causes more errors, creates mental exhaustion, affects memory and can impede one’s ability to learn.

I’m reformed

It turns out, I don’t want to get it all done.  I want to ensure a certain level of functionality in my home and work and then do something else: play with my cats and my toddler, go for a walk, spend time with my husband, write, read or sew.

When I realized how much time and mental energy I was wasting by trying to do many things at once, it just clicked: to maximize my attention and make the most of my time, I need to concentrate only on one thing at a time whenever possible. When you divide your attention, you are worse at the thing you are doing, it takes longer, and your brain is overworked.

“Do only the thing that you are doing”

At first, I just made little changes to how I do things. I would be in the middle of cooking and think about how I should put a load of laundry in, and then I would literally say, “Do only the thing that you are doing”.

Slowly, I have become more and more passionate about single-tasking. Even enjoying working on tasks without an audiobook or podcast. I do play music for my toddler to dance to while we do chores sometimes but now we enjoy being quiet a lot of the time.  

Single-tasking is mindfulness

When it comes down to it, single-tasking is a form of mindfulness. It is free. And you can do it all the time and everywhere.

You are literally being mindful about what you are doing in that moment.  Time slows down and expands to create little moments you can fully engage in and enjoy. You are not worried about what you should be doing now or next to “get-it-all-done”. But, you just might get a lot of it done. And, in the end, you are not mentally exhausted.

How to single-task as a sewist

If you want to be more mindful in your sewing practice, enjoy the time in which you sew, learn more from your sewing practice and possibly get more sewing done here are some ways to focus your attention.

1. Sew in the auditory Nude.

Listening to music, audiobooks or watching tv shows while you sew can be fun.  But it also makes you slower and divides your attention.

2. Don’t Try to do it all.

If you don’t prioritize what is important for you in a given time frame, whether it is this hour or this year, your attention is once again divided, and you are exhausted and unfocused. Try to do only the most important things and ask for help. It’s okay to wallow in the deplorable squalor of your unkempt hovel for one evening if you really just want to sew!

3. Have Realistic expectations. 

You want to make a tailored wool coat and rigid denim jeans.  At the same time. But you have the time to make a t-shirt and have never sewn with thicker fabrics.  Again, your focus is divided.  A better way to do this would be to prioritize the garment you want to make and break it down into the skills you will need.  If your goal is to make jeans, you could start with a denim tote bag to learn new skills and techniques.

4. KNOW yourself. 

Do you make projects and then just don’t enjoy them after? Ask yourself, is this something you like to wear, or just look at on Instagram?  Is it important for you to make practical things or do you want to sew fantastic costumes?  Do you actually want to sew everyday or just once in a while? Do you even like earth tones? Tune out all the outside noise, and make sure you are sewing things that make your heart sing.

5. Be Perfectly Imperfect.

We all want to do our best but what is your best for the project you have in front of you? Although sewing a perfect garment is so satisfying, sometimes it leads to projects languishing in the U.F.O. pile.

This is a missed opportunity to learn from your mistakes and the other steps of the project. There’s a lot of techniques in there! At it’s worse, getting things perfect can even stop you from starting sometimes.

6. Social media is your Single-Task Sewist Achilles heel.

There are so many things to make and fabrics to sew!  It is too much inspiration sometimes! Again, you can’t do it all. Is it time to curate your feed? Set time limits?

7. Don’t compare.

This one goes hand in hand with social media but deserves its own item in this list. First, remember the internet is lying. Nothing is as it appears on social media. Second, your circumstances are different from everyone else’s. 

A Successful Single-Task Sewist doesn’t compare

Comparison stops us from enjoying so much in life. We look at what other people show us and it is usually the best version of what is really happening.

On social media, you may see that some people sew every day but maybe you can only sew on Sundays for 1 hour. Everyone is making perfect jeans but your butt is a weird and impossible geometry problem. Your favourite sewing influencer makes beautiful sustainable linen garments but you can only find and afford polyester.

You may also compare yourself to a past version of yourself when you had more resources like time, money, health or support.

Be in the Moment

In fact, comparison robs you of living in the moment and doing the things you want to do.

Take stock of where you are right now and what resources you have. Whatever you can do and sew is just fine.

Your life is like no one else’s. Be yourself.  It is enough. And doing one thing at a time is enough, too!