How often are you answering emails while watching a film? How often are you in a meeting while thinking about the outstanding deadline? How often are you calling to a friend while driving? These days, multitasking is normal. We’re doing 2, 3 or even more things at once. And yet, we’re not dedicating our focus on them.
Mindfulness is a great way to fully live in the moment. It’s a deliberate choice to experience that particular moment. Mindfulness allows you to take it all in: What’s happening with your body, mind and emotions. And it’s all without a judgement. You just live in the here and now. How often are you practising mindfulness?
- To prepare, David Allen suggests to write everything that’s on your mind down. Getting everything out of your head frees your mind. Decide then: Can it be deleted? Is it actionable? Can it be delegate? Put it on a list? Group like and like things together (e.g. calls to make, errands to run, meetings to arrange).
- Meditation is a fabulous activity to zone in on the now. If you’ve not yet tried it, give it a go for 5-10 minutes. Breathing exercises and yoga are 2 other excellent activities. You can find some more free mindful exercises here.
- If you like to read, check out Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now. Tolle teaches how the past is gone, the future is yet to come and the only worthwhile moment is now, the present.
- Notice what’s happening around you. When eating an apple, notice its colour, its texture and its flavour. When sitting on your couch, listen to the sound in the room. What does your body feel? What do you see? What’s the temperature? Are there any smells?
- Unplug (temporarily) your phone, laptop or TV. You don’t need to fill up this time with something else. You don’t need to hide behind being busy. Just be. Just sit there and notice what’s happening around you (no 4).
Start living more mindful. Experience its numerous benefits: reduced stress, increased focus, more cognitive, improved sleep, increased self-control and satisfying relationship!
Share with us how you stay in the moment.
Until next time,
Agni