Living in the Moment
Can a Multi-tasker Live in the Moment??
I am a very proud multitasker…I can do multiple things at one time…until I don’t. And in the past few weeks, I have noticed that the DON’T times almost outweigh the DO times.
Why does this happen you may be asking??
It has recently come to my attention that I have a very…VERY hard time…living in the moment.
That’s a lie. I just told you a flat out lie.
I have a hard time living in the moment, yes…but it has been something that I have struggled with my entire life. It didn’t “recently come to my attention”.
At this point, I am choosing to believe that this happens because I am a first born daughter BUT at 51, I can no longer continue to not accept responsibility for not making an effort to change this.
And I lied to you because well, I have been lying to myself that I am getting better at this or at least trying to. The first step in recovery is admitting you have a problem right??
But after that, a conscious choice needs to be made to do better and then a change in behavior and actions must follow.
Here’s how I know I haven’t made it to that second step yet and that I haven’t been putting forth much effort.
5 things I have done in this week or so that proves (to myself) that I am NOT living in the moment…
Got in the shower and shaved my armpits and 1 leg. Not sure what was so immediately important that my brain was so full of other thoughts that it forgot to tell my hand to shave the other leg. But there I was, in shorts, out for dinner when I noticed. HOURS later. No good. Not living in the moment.
Made a very complete grocery list because we had “no food” in the house, according to my 17 year old, bottomless pit of a child. Drove to the grocery store (where we are charged for bags, I will get to that in a minute), walked in and got a cart….dug in my purse. NO. DAMN. LIST. Seriously ya’ll. It felt like I was writing things on that list as I was walking out the door. I had to be close. Nope….upon returning home, said list was on the kitchen counter. UGH!! Not living in the moment.
You’d think that would be enough drama for one grocery store trip but nope, its me 😊 I walked up and down every aisle trying to wrack my brain to remember everything on the list. I will congratulate myself and say that I put forth a very good effort and got most of what was actually needed. When I get to the checkout, I get asked “Paper or plastic?” I say “Oh neither thanks. I brought my own.” Then the checkout bagger says “Oh ok. Where did you put them?’ Well DUH…..I left them in the entry way of my house. GAH!! I’ve got to get it together!! Still not living in the moment.
Went to the post office to buy some stamps so that I could send a letter to my son who is away at Marine Corps Boot Camp. Ran in to someone I had not seen for years, like pre-COVID times and we chatted for a long time. She mailed her letter and then we walked out together. I got in my car and got half way home before I realized what I had done. So, yes, I was completely in the moment of catching up with my friend BUT I was completely zoned out as to why I was even there in the first place. Do I give myself a C+ for this outing? Living in the moment?? Partially, maybe.
Last but not least and I want to believe that everyone on the planet has done this. Washed a load of clothes AND a load of dishes on the same day…..without putting any detergent in.
I fully recognize that I MUST slow down. I end up wasting so much time because I wasn’t fully engaged in the task at hand.
So, putting my best foot forward and making an attempt to LIVE IN THE MOMENT, here are the 4 things that I have committed to doing so that I can begin to turn things around.
Start a task and complete it before moving on to another task. For example, I will gather all the clothes to be washed, separate them in to piles, put one in to the washer WITH detergent, close the lid and THEN move on to the next thing. It sounds so basic as I type this out but somehow it isn’t and I manage to get distracted.
Put my phone away as I am working on a task or preparing to complete a task. There is no question that my phone is a HUGE distraction for me. I have now shut off all alerts and notifications and there are times where I shut the ringer off as well. I do best when it is not even in the same room as I am.
Before I leave the house, I take a minute to breathe. Seriously, I do this!! When I take that minute I can slowly, calmly think through why I am leaving the house and concentrate on what I need with me to be more successful out in the real world.
Make lists. I am a list girl. I always have been. But now, with old age and life feeling like a whirlwind, it is becoming more important for me. I keep a notebook close to me so that when I remember something that needs to get done or be bought, I just jot it down. There is no shame in my list making game. To make sure that I remember the list that I made, see #2.
Are you someone who struggles with being in the moment? What kind of situations do you find are your biggest challenge?
I’m with you on this and I will be right beside you as we make changes for the better in our lives.
Our kids, our families, our friends, our coworkers…..our restaurant servers, our grocery cashiers, our customer service people…..they ALL deserve for us to be living in the moment, to have our undivided attention long enough to complete a task.
So, here is to living in the moment…starting right now.