I am making efforts to reclaim my word of the year: Focus.
I've been noticing a pattern lately, I go in the kitchen and find the dishes started, but only half done. I go in the bedroom and find that I've made the bed, but never finished putting all the pillows on it. Downstairs, there's the laundry in it's recent state of perpetual progress. On my desk, a pile of things to go through...later.
Where's my focus? All over the place.
So when I came across 12 Essential Rules to Live More Like a Zen Monk I was intrigued and recognized the need to seriously implement some of these ideas. After a few days of thinking about this, I have compiled my own list of 10 Habits to Achieve Focus, with inspiration from a few different sources.
1. Do one thing at a time. Oh this is hard for me. I often feel like I'm letting something go if I'm doing another thing. I might be working on something, but my mind is elsewhere.
2. Finish what you start. Examples above. The key will be to muster up all my patience and just finish the one thing I am doing before moving on to something else.
3. Do it now. I will often notice something that needs to be done and plan to go back to it. You know the results.
4. Clean off desk every night. At least sort through it so it doesn't look so intimidating and confusing in the morning.
5. Make only one list per day - and a new list each day. Lately I'll just write something down as I think of it -- on a notepad, in my caldendar, on last week's list.... Too confusing.
6. Take time to write or meditate every day. Writing, or just thinking, helps me sort out my mental clutter. Too often I skip this.
7. Take time to read every day. For me, this means the scriptures.
8. Be aware of the unneccessary and eliminate. How many useless things take up our thoughts and time and space?
9. Hold kids more accountable for their own tasks. My problem is not following through with them which ends with their stuff going undone or doing it myself.
10. Enjoy the process. I think this one may come more easily if I'm at least making efforts on the above. It's a matter of being present.
9 comments:
Way to focus and create this great list! I often have to remind myself to finish one thing before moving on to another thing and it makes me crazy. I go from one room to another all day long and often don't finish the one thing I wanted/needed to do most. It's maddening!
that is so me!!! I still have my table with my beads to go through and organize since MONDAY!! I have my sewing machine on my table too (so I'll finish the last stitch ) since last week!!! I'll see something that needs to be done and I'll say to myself "I'll get that later, but first I need too....." Thanks, I need to refocus!!!
I can totally relate. Your blog was very inspiring to me! Thanks for the suggestions on how to focus. I know how you feel about having so many projects they don't any get finished. But give yourself credit, you're a very got it together person, you do a great job!
great list - I just copied them down in my journal. I have the most trouble focusing and not procrastinating. A to do list does help me a lot but sometimes my expectations for a day are too big and that is when I have difficulty focuing on finishing something.
Good Luck Laurie! Let me know how that goes for you and maybe I'll focus enough to try it!
I know these are meant to be your personal reminders & rules to live by...but I'm going to steal them, print them out & post them over my desk.
You sound as if you've tried flylady! These are so like her steps!
I made it because you posted it, it was so easy and yummy!!! John loves cheesecake, and I never have made it cause I thought it was too hard.
Oh Laurie, come back to us, please post again. Don't let back woes keep you from us, push through the pain if even for a brief moment.
oh thank you for that list....it was refreshing to read something that can help us focus. Life is so messy sometimes....but I am with crystal I am going to borrow it too!
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