{"id":6761,"date":"2018-03-02T13:37:01","date_gmt":"2018-03-02T18:37:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/notstrictlyspiritual.com\/?p=6761"},"modified":"2022-11-01T16:19:10","modified_gmt":"2022-11-01T20:19:10","slug":"multitasking-mindfulness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/notstrictlyspiritual.com\/cravings\/multitasking-mindfulness\/","title":{"rendered":"Multitasking, Mindfulness, and Meditation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Well, so much for me posting this one from the archives “tomorrow,” as promised on Feb. 18. Obviously, things continue at a breakneck pace, and I will admit that I am multitasking \u2014 the bane of the mindful existence \u2014 to the point\u00a0that my head is spinning most of the time, to the point where I’m forgetting things because there are way too many “things” piling up higher and higher.\u00a0Precisely\u00a0because of my penchant for doing too many things at once and my love of the mindfulness practice, this is quite possibly my favorite chapter in Cravings<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mindfulness. Ahhhh\u2026just saying the word makes my shoulders relax and my breathing expand. I love it because I know it works, BUT, that doesn\u2019t mean I always make the time and space for it. I am the queen of multitasking, something I used to think was a good thing. Not so. Multitasking distracts us and makes us feel like we\u2019re doing so much but, really, we are usually half doing a couple of things. I can\u2019t listen to my daughter and scroll through Facebook. I might think I can do that, but she\u2019s going to notice I\u2019m not really there, even if I don\u2019t. I can\u2019t eat dinner and answer emails. Well, I can, but chances are I\u2019ll finish the meal without ever really tasting it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Multitasking is one of the biggest enemies of inner peace. It robs us of our balance and tricks us into thinking it\u2019s the way to get more done or be more productive and prove we\u2019re working hard enough to whomever it is we think we need to prove something \u2014 bosses, coworkers, friends, partner, parents, children, maybe even complete strangers.\u00a0If\"cravings-infographic-2-286x1024\"\u00a0we let our worth hang on other people\u2019s opinions, we\u2019re going to make ourselves crazy trying to be everything to everyone. So the challenge is to stop worrying about other people\u2019s opinions and start paying attention to the still, small voice trying to be heard in the silence of your heart. To do that, you have to be mindful and prayerful and quiet. That\u2019s the starting point. And the end point. And every point in between. Mindfulness always, or as often as possible. Just keep coming back to where you are right now without worrying about what\u2019s coming next. It\u2019s not easy to do, especially when many of us have jobs and home lives that keep us in full-time stress mode.\u00a0Just keep starting over. Eventually it will become comfortable, maybe even \u201cnormal.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you can\u2019t figure out how to make this mindfulness thing work in daily life, start small. With a cup of tea or a piece of chocolate or a quiet lunch eaten alone without distractions. We\u2019re seven weeks in, so I know you know the drill, but in case you want a reminder, I\u2019ll re-post the mealtime meditation bookmarks. Click\u00a0HERE<\/a>\u00a0for the set of two bookmarks. And, if you missed this the first time around, here\u2019s one of my previous blog posts on the topic:\u00a0Mindfulness: It\u2019s not just for Buddhists<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Keep in mind that mindfulness isn\u2019t limited to mealtime, to be sure. Try it out when you\u2019re driving to work, when you\u2019re waiting in the car line outside school, when you\u2019re on hold with customer service. Breathe, be present in that moment, and just do that one thing you need to do, not the 12 things everyone else wants you do to. Breathe. Exhale\u2026<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s some musical inspiration to go with our theme of the week: \u201cExhale\u201d by Plumb.<\/p>\n

Oh God We breathe in your grace
\nWe breathe in your grace
\nAnd exhale
\nOh God we do not exist for us
\nBut to share Your grace and love
\nAnd exhale
\n