Single-Tasking

[starbug]

I've been practising mindfulness for over a month now, using recorded meditations from Finding Peace in a Frantic World and other books. Over this time, I've noticed a gradual change. I used to multitask all the time, trying to do two or even three things at once ( and usually doing them badly).

Since starting the mindfulness, I've found that I prefer to do one thing at a time and carry on till one job is finished before starting another. I'm also sleeping better and feeling less stressed about my workload - if I can't finish everything today, it'll just have to wait until tomorrow.

I still get in a tizzy sometimes and worry about things, but I'm finding it a bit easier to relax and say 'oh, never mind'. Yesterday, I messed something up and my husband was telling me how silly I'd been; instead of getting angry with him, I just said 'well, I can't change it now, so there's no point getting upset' - and I genuinely wasn't worried about it. I just prayed about it and was able to forget it. (And, as it turned out, it all worked out OK, so worrying would have been a waste of energy.)

I'm really enjoying noticing these changes. And the great thing is that they are happening naturally, without my having to make an effort - normally, I've had to work at any kind of self-improvement, I've had to work hard.

[FeeHutch]

That sounds like a really positive change for you.
It makes sense too, if you are being mindful about what you are doing then one task at a time makes sense. Getting out of the habit of trying to do several things at once is an ongoing project of mine

[Gareth]

Keep practising, and keep noticing these changes. If you are like me, then these changes will keep happening and keep making your life more peaceful.

I am a completely different person to the one that started meditating. I am also exactly the same person. Funny isn't it?

What you say reminds me of one of the favourite tweets I wrote:

How often is the future as bad as your mind madee it look?
#mindfulness

The answer is never of course.

[Nicko]

I am with you, Starbug,with the natural changes.
Sometimes it used to feel like I was constantly pushing against an immovable object when I tried to change my thinking patterns. Now I am starting to realise that the immovable object was of my own creating.

Nick

[starbug]

I tried to do some mindful breathing this morning at the dentist, which wasn't easy as I needed a fairly deep filling replaced - the words 'nervous patient' are written along the top of my dental records! Although I wasn't expecting any miracles, the slow, steady breathing did seem to help. There were a few moments when I almost forgot to be scared and found myself feeling curious about the whole process. While they didn't last long (just a few seconds at a time), it was a definite improvement on my usual panicky state.

I have a check-up scheduled for next week, so will give it another try then.

[JonW]

A visit to the dentist is always a stern test of mindfulness. I'm sure the words "nervous patient" used to be written across the top of my records too. These days I'm a lot more relaxed in the dentist's chair and I've come to see that the worst of the pain was always in my imagination. The thought of that needle going in used to terrify me. Now I realise that it only lasts a split second and isn't really painful at all.

[FeeHutch]

I seem to remember your use of mindfulness in the dentist chair happened quite early on in the forums life wasn't it Jon?

It is an ongoing practice for me too Starbug

[Galactic Nomad]

This is a great post. Mindfulness has also helped me ease the frustrations that were taking place in my world. As a project manager in an industry and organisation that's currently going through quite a substantial change we are being challenged to "do more with less". This shift, initially saw me get overwhelmed by the enormity of my challenge, and paradoxically I'd find myself doing less due to the frustration of my own situation.

Being mindful of my time now allows me to see everything for what it is, and if things aren't completed I take solace in knowing that I was mindful that day and therefore aware of my own efforts which is ultimately as it should be. It's a day by day proposition, and there are no doubt things I could do better. However I now have the ability to breathe through this thought and confidently, calmly and purposely take steps to achieve this improvement where as before I'd get anxious that I wasn't as good as I should have been....perspective it's a wonderful thing....