A normal working day for me starts around 7 am (I have 2 alarms before that…snoozing is a part of life!) and ends anytime between 12 am -3 am (I swear I’m not insomniac – I just don’t tend to sleep early… 🙂 and yes I’m one of those people that sleeps with my PC, tablet and phone right where I can reach them)
Right now I’m palpitating, frustrated because here we go again! I’m not having a panic attack am I? I’ve been at my desk at work for a couple of hours now and in that time I’ve done and thought about everything and nothing!
I started with my daily routine of login on to my computer to check my email for anything I’ve missed on my transit to work (like I hadn’t just checked It before leaving home!). I guess I didn’t shut down Google chrome properly because it opened with all my 16 tabs from the previous day! revolving around:
- Work
- Articles on focusing my mind…how ironic!
- Quilting: sewing machines I’m currently eyeing, Craftsy classes on sale, new items on Massdrop, bloglovin…
- Articles on WordPress…for knowledge on setting up my account among other things
- Other researches…etc.
I went through each tab and even made an attempt to read one of the articles on focusing the mind I didn’t get to yesterday…felt like a good place to start and they had some sleek quotes that made me feel like I was on the right track. On the other hand, I am chatting on BBM and WhatsApp with a couple of people, I am trying to update the office website, all the while thinking of the numerous other things I need to do.
Then it hit me…I haven’t achieved anything at all not even the little task of updating an article on the website because I just can’t seem to focus! One minute I’m working, the next minute I have to reply a message and on returning to my PC I am on another page entirely. I am having a hard time remembering things, very unlike me – at least that is what my husband said… poor guy I used to be his reminder but these days I am even more forgetful! I have been struggling with this realization for a while now but I keep telling myself it’s fine, I’m wired to multitask and have a racing mind but when I begin to feel my head spin, palpitation, frustration and just plain sadness over my inability to achieve my daily goals then I know…the struggle is real and a breaking point is at hand (Or I am just being too hard on myself 😦 )!
Few minutes ago, I thought to myself I need a retreat, a time off from the daily routine, the gadgets, social media and the expectations of just being who I am, a wife, daughter, sister, friend, employee, quilter among other things. Truthfully though, that’s not going to happen is it? Life doesn’t give breaks and the best I can do is consciously and prayerfully take back my mind and do everything I can to cultivate a healthy body, soul and spirit. To find calm in the midst of all the chaos around and within me, and like I read in a book, develop a present moment awareness of finding joy in what I am doing right here and now, focusing on enjoying the process and not dwelling on the end result.
I know it’s not going to be easy to reclaim my mind but I am willing to try because there’s a lot more I can achieve, I just need to give myself a chance and stop being my own biggest hindrance!!!
How does all these relate to quilting? Probably in no way but I have to say I am glad I quilt because lately, the few times I am less stressed and somewhat calm is when I am at my sewing desk working on a quilting project 🙂 🙂
How do you focus your mind, any tips and advice? Kindly leave your comment below!
Here are some of the links I found useful, feel free to check them out:
http://deepexistence.com/how-to-get-focused-today-in-5-steps/
http://deepexistence.com/how-to-get-focused-anywhere-in-5-minutes/
http://www.mindful.org/three-ways-to-focus-the-wandering-mind/
Alice Samuel's Quilt Co. 
Thanks for this post. I had the notion you are super-disciplined, because you get so much done. 🙂 You know multi-tasking is an illusion. You really can only do one thing at a time. Develop a morning routine for work, for just the first 15 minutes. Do that every day. Check emails once, or if necessary, twice an hour. Don’t get notifications all the time. Push back from your desk at least every couple of hours and spend only THREE minutes doing nothing. (If you have to do something, count backwards from some big number. Don’t worry if you get lost in the counting and have to restart. Just keep counting.) It will seem like forever. But it will calm your heart rate and refresh you. The pace seems relentless, doesn’t it? One more thing: spend as much time as possible in full-body hugs with your husband as possible. That also is soothing, and it’s good for feeling connected when you might feeling like you’re flying out into the universe.
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Oh Wow Melanie, thanks for taking the time to leave this amazing comment and advice. Isn’t that something, discipline is one of the attributes I can’t claim to have and while it seems like I get a lot done, I personally feel and some people around me make me feel like I’m not doing enough. You are so spot on, multitasking is an illusion! Being in the here and now is the best way to get anything done I’ve come to realize. My real test of discipline is to try out these suggestions especially checking mails, I probably do it every 10 minutes because my mails are not set to synchronize and I feel like I have to refresh every time so I don’t miss anything. Ironically the idea of not synchronising was to not get notifications every time a mail comes in but it seems to be doing more harm than good. You are right about the hugs too sometimes that’s all that’s required isn’t it? And oh I have to give counting a try. Thanks again Melanie
On Sep 30, 2016 10:41 PM, “Alice Samuel's Quilt Co.” wrote:
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Here’s a little advice from an old lady…Be sure you are getting enough sleep! Put away the gadgets and don’t have any screen time for at least an hour before bed. Maybe do something relaxing like EPP or reading. I was getting very distracted by other things during my sewing time, so I started setting my timer for an hour and forced myself to focus and stay totally on task for that hour. It was amazing how much I got finished. Taking control, even for short amounts of time will help you feel more centered.
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Very good ideas Marla. I definitely don’t get enough sleep and I will need to work actively at “no screen time an hour before bed” I keep meaning to read a book but somehow I end up with ebooks even when I do. I’ll try your suggestions, thanks a lot 😀
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Reblogged this on Alice Samuel's Quilt Co. and commented:
Thank God it’s Friday! Today is my “Blogiversary” at least the anniversary of my first post and to celebrate that, I decided to share that post again. At the time of writing that post, I was all over the place with so much going on, I was busy all the time but not really achieving much, starting a blog had been in the works but I just couldn’t get started until I resolved to jump right in and this post felt like the right starting point.
Fast forward a year later, while I am not at the top of my focused mind game, I can proudly say I’ve experienced much improvement, at the very least I have gotten better at focusing on the task at hand and achieving good results.
Here is that post again and the struggle for a focus mind is still ongoing 🙂
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I can totally relate! My present battle is focus yet I KNOW I can get over all the distractions and just get things done!
I’m learning and winning the battle by consciously willing myself back to the task at hand when I find myself wandering. It takes discipline but it’s very possible!
Nice job!!! *wink*
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Babe you are right! Discipline is the word especially now that I’m aware it’s a major problem and what it’s doing to my ability to get things done. And thanks for your kind word 🙂
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