Pat Katz Pat Katz

Living In The Moment – 10 Ways To Pause When You’ve No Time To Spare (Energy)

As much as it may feel that you’ve no time to spare, there are ways of going about your everyday business that will help you be more present to the moment and less frenzied about the future. Here are ten ideas to get you started.

1. Give one simple mundane task your complete attention. Hang your coat on the hanger with care. Admire a plant as you give it water. Note every muscle you use to sit down.

2. Anchor yourself. Lean against the wall or door jamb while you finish a conversation. Feel the support. Be present to the moment and the exchange.

3. Be generous with your smiles. Become a beacon of warmth and encouragement. Share a smile with the shopkeeper, the receptionist, and the stranger in the street. It costs nothing, takes no extra time, and warms your world.

4. Pen a few words the way you learned to write in grade school – fully forming each and every letter. Sign your name. Add a task to a list. Whatever it is, write with care and attention as if your teacher were standing over your shoulder.

5. Give ‘urgent’ requests the acid test. Do they feature blood, guts, or gore? Is life or property in danger? If not, don’t get agitated. Respond from calm, not from panic.

6. Recognize extraordinary ‘one-of-a-kind’ events! New babies, projects won, missions completed are all important reasons to take a break and celebrate. The work will wait.

7. Flip the techno switches in your life for just a moment. Send the phone to voice mail. Turn off your beeper and cell phone. Blank the screen on your computer monitor. Feel what it’s like to be on human time again.

8. Take frequent mini mental holidays. Surround yourself with photos and mementoes of happy times and valued relationships. Let your eyes and your mind rest on these treasures throughout the day.

9. Zero in on a piece of art or a landmark. Choose something that is a part of your everyday experience. Examine it and enjoy it as if you were meeting it for the very first time.

10. Scan an obituary that catches your eye. Attend to what’s valued and honored by those who are left behind. Carry that insight into your day.

© Patricia Katz MCE CHRP of Optimus Consulting is a speaker, author and consultant who helps individuals and organizations restore the rhythm of renewal to work and life. To bring Patricia’s expertise to your organization, contact her at www.patkatz.com or toll free at (877) 728-5289.