“This very moment is the perfect teacher, and, lucky for us, it’s with us wherever we are.”–Pema Chödrön
REsistance is Futile🤯
I heard the thud and subsequent scattering of parts. Then, I heard John, my husband, enunciate a few choice words. Since I wasn’t in the same room of the house, I wasn’t sure what had happened. Soon enough, John walked into the kitchen-dining room area and set an open socket and driver kit on the table. Pieces of varying sizes were scattered around the kit like a collage of autumn leaves covering a walkway.
As a few more select words were uttered, John went to work. Watching him work reminded me of those long ago hidden picture pages in Highlights magazine that would entertain me as a young child anytime I visited the pediatrician’s office. John focused intently as he matched pieces to their corresponding recessed area for storage. Observing his level of attentiveness to the task at hand, I was struck by the fact he was exemplifying the power of single-minded focus.
Single-minded attention is not myopic 🔎
Bringing single-minded attention to a task is different than being so myopic on one thing, you fail to see the bigger picture of life. Rather, single-mindedness is the ability to prioritize tasks, and then focusing solely on the most important task before moving on to the next. This level of concentration requires the self-discipline to remove distractions and remain present with the task at hand. By removing distractions and avoiding the temptation to multitask, the brain can more easily slip into a flow-state of productivity and/or presence.
Sure enough, I noticed that in the beginning, when John was resisting the moment, as we have all done, by giving into anger and frustration–as evidenced by the colorful language–he was unable to correctly match the parts to their corresponding depressions. However, as he let go of the resistance, surrendered to the task at hand, he began to more easily match each part to its recess. A few moments later, John was into a flow-type state, with each successive match, the quicker the next match came. Soon enough, albeit probably not soon enough for John, the kit was fully assembled, all parts righted into their nesting spot.
There’s nothing wrong with Mutli-tasking, but . . . 🎧
Many of us multi-task, and our busy, fast-paced world tends to promote multitasking as a regular practice. Obviously, there are merits to multitasking to “kill two birds with one stone” as the old expression goes. However, there are limits to our focus. When we are engaged with several tasks at once, no one task gets our full attention. This is fine in the case of listening to a podcast or book while doing something else where the stakes are low–after all you don’t need to focus on every detail of the book or podcast to glean the overall message/meaning. Thus, nothing is majorly lost if we are not fully focused, and if it is, that’s what the rewind button is for.
In life, however, we don’t always get a rewind button. Therefore, there are times when it is important to only focus on one thing at a time. Most of us understand this. For example, you most likely wouldn’t take a phone call during an important meeting at work or complete work tasks while attending an important doctor’s visit. (Well, maybe in the waiting room, but definitely not when the doctor or staff is in the room with you!) Likewise, you would be offended and feel short-changed if you encountered either of these scenarios during an important work meeting or an urgent doctor’s appointment. Nonetheless, how many other moments do we short-change by multitasking?
Single-mindedness can be applied to any moment in life 🍏
Any moment in life can be met with single-minded attention, and I do believe there is value in also practicing it. Eating an apple, going for a walk, talking with a spouse, child, or loved one, even washing dishes after an evening meal can be completed with single-mindedness. When we take time to solely and fully focus on one event, we are taking time to honor its importance in our lives. For example, when eating a green apple, as we take a bite, we notice the crunch of the apple, the juice that seeps from the tender fruit with each successive bite, the sweet and tart taste on our tongue as our own mouth begins to dance with saliva. As we fully taste the apple we can appreciate the nuance of flavors and texture experiencing pleasure, and perhaps, gratitude.
During the act of single-mindedly washing dishes, we are more readily able to take in the scent of the detergent bubbles filling our sink. We notice the blue and red hues that skim the surface of each bubble. Our hands warm and turn pink as we immerse them repeatedly in the silky water of soap. Each dirty dish frees itself from the remains of the meal under the guidance of our hands, and it is rinsed shiny clean under a stream of water from our faucet. As your mind enters into the flow of washing dishes, there might even be a moment when it occurs to you how fortunate you are to have running water and the opportunity to own enough dishes for everyone in your family.
Obviously, not every moment can be that idyllic, but I do think that practicing single-mindedness can offer numerous benefits. When it comes to work productivity, focusing on one task well before moving onto the next, increases both productivity and accuracy. For those in creative fields, single-mindedness can guide the brain into a desired flow-state where ideas begin to stream with ease. Additionally, when applied to a conversation, single-mindedness not only conveys importance and value of the other person, but it also allows both parties to hear and be heard.
sprinkle it throughout your life like spice to enhance specific moments 🧂
Our time and energy for each day is limited. Thus, there will always be a time and a place for multitasking. However, it is also important to recognize the preciousness of life. Therefore, it is a worthwhile endeavor to consider and prioritize certain tasks and events for which we will single-mindedly focus our attention.
When we take time to give something or someone our full attention, we are also giving it our full appreciation. Giving an event our full appreciation leaves us open to feelings of gratitude. Our ability to perceive and appreciate details increases, and the event becomes more sacred as corny as that sounds.
Practicing single-mindedness is not an all or nothing attitude. It is a practice we can apply to specific moments in our daily lives. The more we practice it, the more it is possible to feel the richness of our lives. We have been endowed with special attributes, talents, and blessings, and it is only for a length of our short life on earth. Why not occasionally and single-mindedly take time to fully immerse ourselves in those gifts?
Steph Simply 