22nd February : Significance - Page 2

History of Single Tasking Day

Single Tasking Day arose in response to the preponderance of multi-tasking habits existing in today's society. The dangers of multi-tasking have been well documented, and have repeatedly shown to cause our work to be sub-par and to leave us even more exhausted while having accomplished far less than we could have if we had just focus on one task. There's something about focusing in and cutting out all other distractions that has the power to let us perform at our very best.

Single Tasking doesn't mean just doing one thing and having it done, and going about our day. It means that we take one task, and break it down into its parts, and completing each one thoroughly and with pure attention to detail. It's even possible, if you're having a particularly productive Single Tasking Day, to complete more than one task, the trick is to do them one at a time so you don't get overwhelmed or lost in the details. Don't let the pressure to multi-task impact you doing your very best, instead, take it all one step at a time, and complete that task to the best of your ability.

Whoever started it, this is an easy day to take part in. Make sure you have suitable clothing and footwear for the conditions, grab your mobile phone, a bottle of water, some plastic bags for picking up - you know what - and away you go.

The great thing about walking dogs is that you can do it almost anywhere. Down the street, in the park, on the beach, the possibilities are endless. The exercise is good for you and for the dog, and since dogs are very social animals you'll meet other owners too. No dog? Borrow one from a neighbour and get walking!

The History of Cook a Sweet Potato Day

No official origin of Sweet Potato Day itself can be found, however it is likely that various cultures have honoured this food for centuries. In fact, the sweet potato has been cultivated and enjoyed for thousands of years, as the origin and domestication of the sweet potato are estimated to have happened at least 5000 years ago. When digging up the remains of an ancient Peruvian culture, researchers found remnants of sweet potatoes that may date back as far as 8000 B.C. When introduced to Europe in the 16th century, the sweet potato was automatically declared a delicacy and was very expensive, which was especially strange seeing as how it had taken the English 200 (!) years to start treating Irish potatoes like real food. Till this day, sweet potatoes are a staple in countries such as Uganda and Rwanda, and they are also very popular in most Asian countries, from Japan to Vietnam to India.