If you are anything like me, you’ll have a bunch of everyday tasks you look to blast through each morning…brushing your teeth, making the bed & buttering your toast. Tasks that just seem to get in the way.
Whilst I’m aware I do this, I’m just keen to get on with what I consider other more ‘important’ things – namely getting into work and freeing up more time for the things I like doing.
This year though, I plan to be different…
Each morning I have a preferred ‘turbo’ sequence when making the bed which involves opening the curtains and making the bed… all at the same time! If ‘speed bed making’ was a sport, I’d be an Olympic medallist!
At my stage of life, I have a fairly frenetic existence. No violins required but I run a thriving business, I am a committed rugby coach and I have a family and friends that I love spending time with.
All this makes for a full and often busy life.
What’s not to like?
On the surface my life seems perfect (and indeed I know I am very, very fortunate) but sometimes I just feel, well frantic!
And it gets worse when I have a lot to do, and especially when I am not mindful/super aware that I am feeling this way. My mind just starts to get frenetic.
And then something else happens.
My body begins to respond and I just do things more quickly. This, in turn, tells my mind that things are not OK as a body moving quickly usually means something ain’t right!
My mind becomes more frantic, which causes the body to move faster, and I’m stuck in a vicious circle.
10% slower
So this year, I have committed to doing all everyday tasks 10% slower.
In simple terms I am trying to be more aware – in fact even as I type this article out, I am reminding myself not to race and instead appreciate more of what I am doing and why.
And guess what, it does work! By moving (and thinking) more slowly my mind is telling me that things in my little world at the moment are both calm and OK.
Nick and Katie
And the other day in the office, we spoke about this very thing. Each of us admitted that we can get caught up in the ‘scroll your mobile phone’ trap when we could (and should) be focussing on more interesting or constructive things.
Don’t get me wrong there’s a time and a place to be on LinkedIn but we have each committed to being far more aware of when we are doing this and taking more time to complete those everyday tasks such as making a cup of tea, opening the mail etc.
I’m still a work on…
And although pleased with my new state of mind, Shona is there to keep me on my toes. Whilst pleased with the ‘10% slower’ progress I’m making, Shona as ever is pragmatic and to the point – “just make the bed better please” she tells me!!
Indeed, maybe not such a bad philosophy for life!
