During any given day, how often do you find yourself feeling preoccupied, distracted and unfocused? My guess is, probably more often than you’d like. My second guess, is that you're so distracted you don’t even know that you’re living in a state of uneasiness and worry. Unfortunately, living this way will eventually take a toll on your health and wellness.
Technology and daily demands have become so daunting for some of us that the only goal we have for the day is to get through it alive. We joke about distractions, being too busy and not having time to enjoy life. But what good is all of that in retrospect? Where's it getting us? I’m sure sure you've heard it before, but it's true and important to remember, that there's no finish line in life. When you live for the purpose of being busy and distracted, you miss out on all the beautiful things life has to offer.
Managing Distractions
No one said life was easy, but it's important to remember that you're not your schedule. You're not your list of errands. While we must attend to our responsibilities, dragging yourself through every moment is no way to live. It’s ironic that the less you do, the more you get done and the better you feel. In fact, many times the thoughts running through our head cause us to feel busier and more stressed out than what actually plays out.
Mindfulness is a proven way to help manage distractions and refocus attention back to the present moment. The reason mindfulness works and improves your health is because it slows down racing thoughts and helps you manage stress. Clarity of mind brings peace to your days. A lot of people have trouble understanding how to apply mindfulness and meditation in their lives because it's a practice that requires extreme attentiveness and focus. The opposite of what society teaches us to do. See examples for doing this by reviewing 15 ways to apply mindfulness in your daily life.
Conclusion: Avoid being Distracted
Busy schedules and endless distractions will take a toll on your mind, body and spirit. Life will soon become a chore instead of a blessing. Now’s the time to step back and be honest with yourself about where you fall on this spectrum. Once you decide your current state, there's only one question to answer. What daily actions are you going to take to refocus your attention so you can find joy and peace of mind?
I try to take a few minutes each day to just breathe.