Simple Pleasures

If you want a simple way to give yourself a feeling of satisfaction, achievement and wonder, plant a seed. Seriously - you won't be disappointed! (assuming that it sprouts, that is...)

These are tomato seedlings I've been tending for the last few weeks - it was very exciting to see them 'hatch' out of the soil. I don't think I've ever grown anything from seed before, but I'm liking it very much.

Unitasking

Good Weekend magazine had an interesting article in it this week - the author. A.J.Jacobs, tried to 'unitask' for two weeks - to only do one thing at a time. The opposite of multitasking. The result:

"...I'm calmer. I have a sense that I'm in charge of my brain more often, that it's not a slave to the blips and bleeps that pop up outside. I shut my eyes during phone calls. I'm getting more work done, which is huge. The key is self-mastery. I've got control of my brain's steering wheel."

Multitasking isn't actually as effective as we think - instead of doing many things at once, we do lots of things, individually, in fits and starts. The article calls this 'switch-tasking'. Not very productive, and a tiring way to work.

Give unitasking a go - your brain will thank you! 

And for my next challenge...

My goal for the next two weeks is to listen more. I love a good conversation, unfortunately however I am often quite bad at really listening to the person who's talking.

I get caught up in the excitement of what I have to say (and of having someone to say it to!) and blurt it out, regularly cutting other people off.

I tend to keep up a fast pace (perhaps because with babies you're always aware of being on their schedule, not your own! Possibly also because I spend a lot of time without adult company, so I leap at the chance to talk about things other than The Wiggles and going to the potty...) and I'd like to slow down.

So - listening ears are on! I'm interested to see what impact this will have, both on relationships and on my stress levels. Hoping it will make for a calmer life...at least some of the time..

Facebook Free

It's been two weeks since I decided to have a break from facebook and the ipod internet connection. While I didn't manage 100% cold turkey, sneaking the odd look here and there, I did drastically reduce the time spent online. Here's what I've learnt:

Facebook (and browsing the internet generally) is like junkfood for the soul. Although it does provide some small satisfaction, it's not that great for you in the long run. This is particularly true if, like me, you tend to get a bit obsessed with it. I've realised how much I was using it as a mental escape, and how much it was taking over all the small gaps in my day. This left no time for reflection, for mental or physical rest (it's not that relaxing to hunch over a keyboard or ipod!) and meant that I was usually multitasking, which is double the work for probably half the result.

And importantly, it meant that my mind was often elsewhere, when I was spending time with the family. They became almost an irritation keeping me from what I really wanted to be doing (catching up on 'news' from people I barely know - how silly is that!)

Having a break from it has meant that I have relaxed, enjoyed everyday life a lot more and freed up some brain space. It's definitely been a good thing, and it has surprised me how little I miss something that was, only a few weeks ago, one of the more pressing concerns of my day.

Going forward, I think I'm going to set up facebook so it only shows a few people's status updates. I'm not going to look at it on the ipod, and will limit the time I use the laptop as well - not that hard a task when there's so much more to enjoy in real life, now I've switched off the digital addiction.

Decluttering - Being Mindful

On any given day, I'm tracking not only my own activity, but that of a baby and a toddler as well. My mind is constantly busy trying to think for three people. Throw in worrying about what I have to get done around the house, a bit of stressing about how tired and stressed I am, and it doesn't take much for me to feel like I'm close to meltdown!

I've found practicing mindfulness helps.

Mindfulness is a buddhist technique that involves focusing only on the sensations of the present moment - being aware of what we are experiencing as it happens. Sarah Naphtali, author of 'Buddhism for Mothers' defines it as "knowing what's happening at the time it's happening" rather than running through the day on auto pilot.

It gets rid of the mental clutter that doesn't affect the present. So much of my stress is self generated - worrying about what I should be doing, or would  like to be doing, instead of what I actually am doing.

Mindfulness slows me down, calms me down, and increases my appreciation for the small moments that fill each day.

Here are some ways to give it a try (taken from Sarah Naphtali's book):

• When you do your housework, notice every detail of the task.
• When you eat, be conscious of the movements of your hands, the taste of the food, the sensations of swallowing and digesting, the feel of the food in your stomach.
• When you wait, in a bank queue or at the supermarket, pay attention to all the sensations of your body. Do you need to relax tense muscles, correct your posture or soften your face?
• Wherever you are, take in your surroundings. Challenge yourself to notice a new detail about your neighbourhood every day.
• Take every opportunity to focus on your breathing to rest your mind.
• Seek opportunities for silence and stillness. Turn off the TV!

And my own suggestion - try to only do one thing at a time. Multitasking is a way of life for many of us, but it can be exhausting. And unproductive!

Being Christian, I'm wary of adopting philosophies from other faith systems. There's plenty about buddhism that I disagree with. But mindfulness helps me trust God - handing over my worries and concerns to Him instead of letting them take over my day.

Decluttering - relationships

Life is cluttered. At home, we have too much stuff. Days are full of too many commitments. And the online world is full to the brim with relationships that often create more stress than they're worth.

Yes, facebook - I'm talking about you.




I read an account somewhere of a bloke who had 200 facebook friends, and once he deleted his account, only three got in touch with him.

I check facebook quite a bit, probably at least three times a day - and for what? I'd be better off saving up those five minute blocks of time, and using them to have an actual real life conversation with a friend.

So my first effort to simplify is this - I'm de-facebooking myself. I'm going to keep my account open, but hide the news feed so I can't see what people are posting. The aim is to remove the temptation to keep checking it for updates.

And, to increase my chances of success, I'm going to put away my ipod Touch, so my access to the internet is restricted.

I'll do this for the next two weeks, and see what happens.

Intro

Often I feel like my life is running me, not the other way around. I'm going to find ways to simplify, switch off, and get back to basics.

Come along for the ride!