Time – it’s always going by too fast or too slow, there is never enough of it or there is too much. In a world where we are bombarded with messages that we need to do more with less, including time, is it possible that we should be doing less to do more?
Increased productivity is one of the many advantages that a Mindful Awareness or Meditation practice can provide. It seems counterintuitive but in the two months that I have dedicated myself to learning more about the practice, I have experienced an increase in focus and sense of calm which has led to me getting through my to-do list faster and more effectively. Tasks that might have seemed daunting before are now preceded with a deep breath, recognition of any anxiety around the task and the ability to just get it done without procrastination.
I can’t say that meditation has been an easy thing for me to take on. My original belief was that it was something that you had to do sitting on the floor cross-legged dressed in a organic cotton tunic chanting OM while somehow maintaining complete and utter silence. I’m a type A personality, I knew there was no way that I was capable of silencing the continuous stream of thoughts and ideas that stream through my head not to mention that tunics are just not my thing. Then I came across MARC, the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA (www.marc.ucla.edu) where cutting edge research is being done on the positive effects of slowing down and listening to your body. They offer a class on Mindful Awareness Practice for daily living online and I decided that I would give it a try. Now in my sixth week of class I can say that it has helped me achieve calm and an increase in productivity that I didn’t expect.
In the following weeks, we will be diving deeper into different kinds of meditation and the powerful effects that it can have in your life. Whether you are a teacher, account manager or CEO, mediation can bring balance to your life through only a few minutes a day. Stay tuned in for more….
By Ruth Smith
