How often do you do things in an automatic way without thinking? For example, have you driven somewhere and had no idea how you got there because you were thinking about something completely different.
Or have you eaten an entire meal in front of the TV without really tasting a single bite? We live in a society that values multi-tasking.
We are conditioned to scan tremendous amounts of information that we're bombarded with every day.
We work while watching children, cook and clean while talking on the phone, watch TV and eat, and conduct business meetings while scanning the internet and updating files.
Besides that it often makes us frazzled and exhausted, are we really getting more done? Researchers have asked one set of people to do things mindfully and another group of people to do everything as quickly as possible (multi-tasking).
The researchers found that the people who did things one-mindfully were, in fact, the most efficient.
It sounds easy, but doing one thing at a time can actually be difficult.
It's hard to stay focused when we're bored or upset and don't like what we are doing.
To avoid how we feel, we start doing something else or thinking about something else.
Planning for the future or worrying about the past also interferes with our ability to focus on the present.
But focusing on the present has many advantages: 1) it is more efficient, 2) it allows you to live life to the fullest.
You don't miss what is going on and 3) even when bad things happen, you experience them and move past them, rather than hanging on to them and worrying about them endlessly.
In order to begin to live life fully, consider making a conscious attempt to really experience the moment.
Don't let this part of life slip past you.
Financial worries, long days at work, household chores, and obligations to friends and family can consume you.
How often do you miss a moment because you're so busy worrying about something else or are distracted by the TV, computer or phone, that the moment has passed by before you've had a chance to notice or enjoy it? Below are 3 simple methods to regain a hold on your life.
1.
Eat Mindfully.
Eat as slowly as you can, hold each bite in your mouth and truly taste it, as you eat it.
Notice your thoughts and surroundings and bring your mind back to simply tasting the food/drink.
2.
Notice something you truly love.
Look at something you truly love with new eyes.
Whether a spouse, child, view, or cherished item, find a favorite thing or person and truly notice it.
Spend several minutes.
Notice details that you may have overlooked in the past.
Notice with your full attention.
If you find you are distracted by sounds or things you encounter gently bring your mind back.
3.
Participate.
Choose an activity that you love and give yourself a break from planning, worrying or organizing.
Allow yourself to fully participate in the activity.
When you are participating, throw yourself in.
Walking somewhere, focus on just walking.
Do just one thing at a time, walking is walking.
Eating is eating.
Swimming is swimming, etc.
When you experience the inevitable distractions, notice them, deal with the ones you have to, and then bring yourself back to fully participating in what you are doing.
Focusing on one thing in the moment allows you to live life to the fullest.
If you are living life in the moment, if you can experience it, you can be aware of your entire life.
You don't miss your life.
You don't miss what is going on.