Efficiency and Productivity

I am very efficient in just about every part of  my life.  From loading the dishwasher while waiting for coffee to brew, to abbreviating my sentences to not take up too much time talking, there is little in my life that is not accomplished through multi-tasking.  I've been this way as long as I remember, and I've gotten better at it, or worse, depending on your perspective.
The reason I multi-task is so I can get said item done so I can relax and focus on the next thing.  The problem is, even in relaxing, I'm multi-tasking.
Two nights ago, I had to get up at 2 a.m. to let Wesley Eugene, our dog, outside.  While he was outside taking his sweet time, I was inside thinking of what short project I could accomplish while he was going potty and I was half-asleep.  Then the thought occured to me, "Why can't you just sit down?" I started folding laundry standing up while I was mulling that one over.  Then another thought occured to me, "Efficiency doesn't always lead to productivity."  Obviously I'm blasphemous when I'm half- asleep.  Everyone knows that the more efficient you are, the more productive you are.
But maybe that's not true.
I'm constantly on my feet cleaning house and getting stuff done, but if you came over right now, you wouldn't know that.  What you would notice, though, is that I can't sit down and listen to you.  I'm listening, but simultaneously I'm making my grocery list and folding laundry.  I'll ask you to come talk to me in the kitchen while I wash dishes.  I don't ever stop what I'm doing just to listen.
I believe this might be a problem.  Over the last 48 hours, I have been paying attention to my multi-tasking and realized that I don't think I get more done by multi-tasking.  In fact, I think actually that multi-tasking has lead me to a million unfinished projects rather than one done.
Yesterday there was a mother standing outside of Target asking for food and money for her children who were also next to her begging.  I looked in my wallet and realized that it was a red-letter day and I had some cash I could give her.  I evaluated the situation with my multi-tasking brain.  Here's my inner dialogue.
"There's a woman over there that needs money.  How can I take the least amount of steps to give her money, get my basket, and get to the bridal registry?  I wish she was begging at this door so I could just give it to her here since I have to be on this end of the store anyway.  Oh, and darn it, I do need coffee, which is on the other side of the store.  I wish things were closer together.  I wonder if that lady left.  I'm sure it's against Target's policy to beg in front of their door.  Maybe I shouldn't encourage it by giving her money.  But she's a mother!  How can I walk by with cash in my wallet and not give her money or food?"
So I parked on the far side of the store, where the bridal registry was, and walked all the way over to the beggar lady.  Since I had already "wasted" time walking to the other end to give this lady money, I just handed it to her and walked off.  She was grateful and tried to engage me in conversation.  But no, I had already wasted "conversation time" by walking to the other side of the parking lot.  I kept walking.
And then it hit me.  Maybe she didn't just need money.  Maybe she needed someone to see her and not ignore her and actually listen to her gratitude.
Unfortunately when this thought occured to me, I was already mapping my route through the store and I couldn't turn back.
So today I'm going to try to be less efficient and more in the moment.