Green Peppers and Focus

I was surprised by the amount of feedback that my article on
multi-tasking received. It sounds like a lot of us are longing for a
simpler way of being. To be able to focus on one thing is a luxury
these days that seems hard to come by.

Focusing may be more difficult than you expect so I suggest you start in small ways.

 When was the last time you appreciated the beauty of vegetables? Really look at them as you prepare the evening meal tonight. Slicing a green pepper in half reveals the beauty of pattern and a luscious scent!

As you drive to work, turn off the radio and enjoy the journey.Are the leaves starting to change in your area? Or are the rains turning that summer brown to green again?

Really be with your kids when they come home from school today. Give them your full attention. Being heard and appreciated is rare these days. And who knows, maybe they'll even listen to you!

The point is to BE with one thing for just ten or fifteen minutes today. Then build on that start.

Today I'm writing outside on my front deck, enjoying the gift of
sunshine, flowers and hummingbirds. I feel so blessed to call this my
'office' and I take a few moments each hour to look up and notice the breeze, the birds and the flowers. Practicing gratitude helps me to focus and to BE.

I encourage you all to pull away from the busyness of modern life
for a few minutes and step out of doors. Take a few deep breaths and
practice gratitude for what you find out there.

"The
most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When
mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers. – Thich Nhat Hanh"

 

Your Choice

Just heard a great new term on CBC Radio this afternoon as I was driving home. The woman who spoke is a childhood educator and she was talking about the "rushed infant" culture that has sprung up – wanting baby to be the next Einstein. (More about Einstein tomorrow.)

The speaker used the phrase 'manic compression'.

Because I've been writing and thinking about time management these days – what it is and what it isn't,that phrase really caught my attention. I knew exactly what she was talking about because many  of us experience  'manic compression' in our everyday lives. (No wonder it's filtering down to our kids.)

We usually call it by another term – 'multi-tasking'.

When did it become a virtue to juggle three tasks at once? More than that – when did it become expected of us? Think about times when you found yourself answering the phone and email while trying to eat your lunch. What were you feeling? Would the words stress, anxiety, resentment or fear apply? I'll bet 'relaxed' wasn't one of your answers. 

Whatever happened to doing one thing and paying attention to what's in front of us? Too many of us have accepted the idea of multi-tasking as desirable – even laudable – without ever asking if it's right thing to do. Just because we can doesn't always mean we should.

There's more at stake here than getting through your To-do list. Stress and anxiety cause imbalance.  Stress is the trigger for many diseases. Balance heals. Relaxation restores.

It's your choice. And if you believe your time is out of your control, then maybe it's time to make a change.