Turning to difficulties outside sitting practice.

[Rich]

Hello everyone. Turning towards difficulties has been effective during meditation but I was wondering if you guys find it effective when you are at work. Where in focus should be at the task at hand or during conversation.

As an example when I feel lazy to do the task at hand. I find that if i focus on my body and feel the tension then I feel relaxed and open. However I'm wasting time not doing the task and it feels like it can become an excuse to procrastinate.

How do you all deal with difficulties outside meditation?

[JonW]

Hi Rich,
Welcome to the forum.
It's easy to start second guessing mindfulness in this way. Quite often though, mindfulness is simply opening up a space in which we can be both aware of our present moment experience and aware of the fact that we have a choice in terms of what we do next. If you notice that you're procrastinating, that's being mindful. It's all in the noticing. If a job needs doing, then do it. Simple as that. While you're doing the job, it's fine to check in on yourself - it can take just a few seconds to notice one's posture, one's breathing, one's roaming thoughts.
You ask how we all deal with difficulties outside meditation. Mindfully - in a word. As mindfulness becomes more and more embodied, it's as though the whole of life is an invitation to be mindful. I've been practicing for almost four years now and I've yet to encounter a situation where mindfulness hasn't been useful to me - that includes physical pain, emotional upset, financial worries, bereavement...
Hope this is helpful in some way.
All best wishes,
Jon

[Peter]

Hi Rich,
It depends on how much concentration something takes. During a conversation I can be mindful (watching my thoughts, and feelings etc) and also have the conversation. But my job demands a lot of problem-solving-concentration. If I'm really concentrating, I can't be mindful at the same time. I then need to snap out if it periodically and take mindful-moments. However, that high level of concentration isn't needed all day.

Peter

[JonW]

"If I'm really concentrating, I can't be mindful at the same time."

Interesting. Though I will say that, since I started practicing mindfulness, my quality of concentration has improved immeasurably. I find it so much easier to focus completely on a task, without my mind wandering off in rumination or speculation.
Jon

[Peter]

Yes, that's certainly the same for me, Jon. My concentration while problem solving is certainly a lot better, and things are clearer.

However, my job is so technical and difficult that it requires all of my attention to solve the problems (not always, but often).

I bet it would have been hard for Einstein to come up with his theory of relativity WHILE he was being mindful. Periodically of course, but not while thinking deeply about the problem. I'm not sure, but I don't think that it can be done. You'd just diminish the attention you'd have for solving the problem. That's my experience at least.

Peter

[Rich]

Thank you this confirms my experience as well. Focusing on feelings and thoughts could be disadvantageous when there is a task at hand. It's better to just acknowledge and refocus.

The reason i asked this question is because the books never mention this directly.

[JonW]

"Acknowledge and refocus" is a good way of putting it.
When driving a car down a motorway, for example, concentrating on the road would be the priority. If other thoughts creep in, just acknowledge and refocus.
Cheers,
Jon

[Peter]

""Acknowledge and refocus" is a good way of putting it."
I agree!

To make sure that I periodically come back to the present moment, no matter how focused I am, I ware a bracelet that vibrates every half an hour. When it vibrates, I try to be as aware as possible for at least a minute.

Peter

[JonW]

"Meditation is slowing down awareness enough to catch sight of that tiny, fleeting pickpocket move of mind that steals us endlessly from reality."(Susan Murphy: Upside Down Zen)

[Peter]

Very nice quote, Jon!