I spent ten minutes this morning trying to figure out if I showered or not. My hair was wet, but was that because I just worked out? Was the towel wet? It felt like a scene out of Momento.
I’m trying to understand this memory loss, but to do that, let’s stop by a nearby town. To a crowded land called Busyville. It’s a city where you do a lot, but get nothing done. It feels good visiting that land, full of absent-minded pedestrians walking into poles, or forgetting if they showered.
I guess my mind decided to visit Busyville over the last week.
It always happens the same way. I get too busy to Meditate, too busy to force myself to be in the moment. Next thing I know, my days are busy blurs sandwiched between numbing sessions with social media.
Time to wake up. So far the most effective trick has been to disconnect from my phone. A friend of mine suggested leaving my phone out of the bedroom before bed. When I have tried that, it worked wonders in starting my day out more mindful and focused.
One breath. Even when I feel too busy to Meditate, stopping to take one deep, focused breath has been helpful in getting consciousness back.
Meditation. Geting back to the basics. Recently I’ve taken to meditating to video game music. It’s composed for the purpose of guided focus, so I’ve repurposed it a little. Music + incense or a scented candle, and I’ve created a special moment for my focus. It’s gratifying but not necessary, and sometimes a short guided meditation from Tara Beach, Sam Harris or Headspace is all I need.
Work-free lunch breaks are critical for winning back my freedom. Disconnecting from my work makes me dramatically more productive. None of this work-through-lunch nonsense.
Busy is a black hole that can devour an unsuspecting person, and never spit them out. In the hyper-distracted world, it’s a struggle to maintain focus and mindfulness, but ultimately it’s a fight worth having.