We've all heard of phrases like, 'Stay in the present moment,' and 'be in the now.' And many of us may believe we are doing this, but how many thoughts are going through our heads when we are having a shower, making breakfast, doing the dishes, or even having a conversation with our friends? How present are we really? And what about multi-tasking? We have so many things to do and multi-tasking makes us feel like we are getting tons done. But how is this really affecting us and how can truly being present to what's right in front of you be better for us than multi-tasking?
Placing your attention on one thing at a time, the thing that's right in front of you, will make you more efficient, more productive, more creative, and more focused. You will also feel much calmer and way more present for the people in your life! These are just a few of the benefits. So how do we reap the benefits? We practice!
Practice Practice Practice!
You can practice being present to what's in front of you with a focused meditation, while making breakfast, cleaning the dishes, eating a meal, writing a report, anything in your life really!
The only rule is that you must give your full attention to what is in front of you, the moment or task at hand. If you are making breakfast you only focus on what ingredients you need and how you want to create it!
If other thoughts come up, like errands, chores and work stuff, you let them move on by, knowing they will be there for you later. And if you can't seem to get past your to-do list or something important popped into your head that you don't want to forget, then stop, write everything down and then continue your practice. What will eventually happen is that you will find making breakfast more enjoyable and calming. And you will begin to appreciate it a little more.
Start practicing this in all aspects of your life and see what you notice. Especially if you work in a busy office where new tasks are being thrown at you all the time. Make a list, prioritize and then begin, one at a time. Don't look at the whole list, that might be too overwhelming and you may find your mind spreading itself thin; focusing it's attention on one project and then another project, but not really getting anything done. So instead of a clear focused mind, your mind is all over the place and cluttered. One thing, one focus, one clearer mind!
Reap the Benefits
When you start doing this on a regular basis and in all aspects of your life, just notice how different you feel and notice if you get more done and how the quality of your work is. You will begin to find that you are more efficient, more productive, more creative and more present for the people in your life! And you will feel more clarity and spaciousness, and will find it easier to complete tasks because you are giving them all of your attention!