It is a  scene familiar to all moms. You’re on the sofa, laptop open to your  Facebook page. Your cell is rumbling on the table, demanding your attention like a temper  tantrum.  The TV is tuned to Sandra Lee, and you’re  trying to write down that paella recipe for dinner.  Your iPod is in your pocket  ready for your walk later on. In the middle of all this,  your  wiggly little one is  tugging on your pantleg, pointing to the gym set outside, saying “Swing, mommy, swing.”

I call all that normal life.  In business, they call it  multi-tasking,  and nobody’s better at it than moms.  I make this an art form.  I admit it! There is a warm feeling of victory that comes over me when I’ve got the dryer tumbling a load of whites, the dishwasher ‘s humming,  vegetable soup’s bubbling  in the Crock-pot, “Top Chef Masters” on TV,  my daughter’s doing her homework on the computer . Meanwhile,  I am clearing out my e-mail inbox on my laptop, juggling chats and texting my  work buddies  about a change in tomorrow’s radio show.  Super Mom!

Here’s the truth. Researchers say  I’m getting dumber by the minute.

Say what?  Oh yeah.  In fact, I might as well be stoned.

Those focused Stanford University researchers recently released a study I read about in a BBC article. The  study says  that folks who are juggling several streams of electronic information simultaneously actually see a 10-point drop  in their IQ levels.  That’s  double the decline among marijuana smokers.  Bffrrgggt! Put another way, it’s equivalent to losing a night’s sleep.

All this information was brought to my attention by Dr. Marilyn Irvine, who teaches psychology for  two campuses of the University of Phoenix. She is a mother herself, so she totally understands that the multitasking thing is not a choice for moms. It’s a necessity.

The key is our electronics.  They’re  like cocktails. Stop at two.

“You can only do that with two streams at once,” Marilyn advised. “One way of digesting the overload is balancing that with a different type of task.” For example,  while reading up on the latest research on diaper rash on your computer, take some time to stir the soup. “Something  that breaks up the mental focus.”

The tough truth from the study is that we only think we are doing a good job with our multitasking. Actually, the multitaskers were doing a lousy job  at  all the tasks they were  doing while multitasking.  As one  observer noted, they succeeded in doing several things badly.  Ouch.

So what  do we do about it? Here are a few tips from Dr. Irvine:

• Focus on what is most important. What are your priorities? Where do you need to put your focus?
• Manage your memory and keep it organized.  Use memory  tools and make lists so you don’t have to keep so many details in your mind.
• Don’t fall into perfectionism. Good enough is good enough.
• Constantly choose resting places where you can take time out from tasks.  Select some timeout places and unplug for awhile.
• Don’t push up against your natural body rhythms. There are times when you function better and sharper mentally than others.