Trying to do multiple things at the same time just doesn’t work for me. I find that the more I try to do, the less I actually get done and whatever I do accomplish doesn’t seem to get done very well.
There are certain things that I consider to be vital to my life. Exercise is a big one. I know that when I’m not moving around enough I don’t feel that great. It’s become a part of my routine, no different than brushing my teeth or having breakfast or sitting and writing. None of these things are crucial to my survival, but they became part of my routine because they make me feel better.
Maybe brushing my teeth is crucial, I don’t know. It seems that my ancestors from hundreds of years ago did okay with no fancy toothpaste or electric brushes. Anyways, I choose to brush.
The good thing about habits is not having to think about them. If they are healthy habits, of course that helps. Not needing to remember to do the important things that keep me functioning at a level that I like makes a difference.
It’s all of the other stuff that I need to work on.
If I repeatedly ask myself what is important to me, then I find the clarity that I need to be able to focus on what matters. By taking the time each morning to actually think about where my focus is, I am able to increase the likelihood of not getting distracted by the little things that just don’t matter.
I have everything I need so I don’t need to waste time looking at all of the wonderful things that I could buy. Shopping for me isn’t a pastime, it is something that I do when it is necessary and that’s it.
Watching movies or television is something else I do only when it is important to me. Otherwise, I find that it serves only to distract me from what I am trying to accomplish. If I am bored, sometimes I feel like turning on the TV. That’s when I know that I have lost sight of what is important. I am intentionally wasting time.
Still, if I choose to do it, at least I am aware in that moment that I am doing it instead of mindlessly sitting there.
If every day you looked at your life as something special and the time you have here as precious, what sorts of activities would no longer seem important to you? Where would you focus your energy?
I don’t want to move through my life mindlessly like a zombie. If I were immortal then maybe that would be okay, but I know that I am not. At some point I won’t be here anymore.
I want to remember that my time is the most valuable thing I have. It isn’t something to possess, but it is something to appreciate. Getting upset and being angry over things I can’t control seems like a huge waste of time and energy.
We can make a choice in each moment of how we want to feel and how to spend our time. Continuing to place ourselves in situations that make us unhappy doesn’t make sense. Even if the people around us are miserable, we can still choose happiness or at least find a sense of peace within.
It’s important not to blame others for how you choose to process life. Being miserable because everyone else is miserable only adds to the misery.
In this moment I will focus on what I want to accomplish while I am still here and able to do what I choose to do. That’s the best I can do, and it seems like more than enough.