Can You Zen?
Has anyone else noticed how little time we spend on a singular focus anymore? I know this way of being once existed because I don't think I'd feel so nostalgic for something that never did. But, the struggle is so real when it comes to shutting down the brain's focus to a single task now. When reading, we also Google meanings of words or historical references. When driving, we check our devices so often, the government is spending millions across the U.S. to fund distracted driving signage. When we are having a conversation, we're thinking about what we forgot to do earlier, what's on our list for later or what we need to say next. We escape into nature and tend to look for photo- or social media-worthy scenes, our phones at the ready. And the list goes on.
I think there are elements of adult life that have always demanded some of this multi-tasking brain. Parenting, for example, basically guarantees you will never do just one thing again in your life while your kids are awake. Work has been creeping in on our non-work time for decades, so having to flip between the home and work brain has become so second nature to most of us that we now call this "work-life integration" rather than "work-life balance." But, my personal opinion and what some research that I've read on the psych side indicates, is our increase in feelings of anxiety and even depression have been lock-step with our more and more full-time multi-tasking brain habits.
All of this rumination on how fragmented our mind's life can be at this point made me want to think of a shortlist of things I can actually do to temporarily reduce the focus of my mind. I, personally, crave moments of being able to do so. I love a good fire drill that tests my mental prowess and resilience, but I've also always enjoyed the gaps of calm. (I will also say here...I think everyone's brains are wired pretty uniquely. So, while I crave this slowing down, I respect and occasionally envy the multi-tasking adrenaline junkies of the world who never need the break). So what are my bookends to the daily superhighway? Spoiler alert: there aren't many things that actually keep us from multi-tasking these days.
- Meditation. This one is sort of obvious, but I have to say I am super intentional when I sit. I have to turn my phone on do not disturb, make sure my watch is synced up with that and ensure my ear buds will not be announcing incoming messages. I love time on my cushion - listening to guided meditations by folks like Jack Kornfield, Ram Dass, Sharon Salzberg, Tara Brach and others - but, I also started a practice of walking meditation during dog walks at the park. All it takes is silently observing my steps as "left, right, left, right..." as I walk and, eventually, becoming completely lost in my surroundings with my mind completely quiet. It's lovely!
- Embroidery. This is a fairly recent hobby for me, but the thing I perhaps love about it most is that I have to fully focus in order to not screw it up. From the first time I tried it, I loved that my brain refused to pay attention to anything else while doing it. If you're also a fan of embroidery, take a look at the beautiful patterns by Tamar Nahir Yanai. You won't regret it.
- Reading. This one has gotten more complicated because, in theory, you can very easily be distracted. But, with a bit of protectiveness like what I do in meditation, I can actually cruise through a chapter without disruption. I usually have a couple of books going at a time - a morning book, usually fiction, and a bedtime book, which is usually non-fiction and a bit more reflective.
- Writing. I've been promising myself for quite some time that I'd set aside more moments to write. I've loved writing since I was young. It is a great way to slow down my brain as well - trying to think more fully about objects and ideas. Like so many things, I have to very intentionally lock life down to focus on it. But, I always walk away feeling so glad I did.
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