Tag Archives: distracted

Simplify Your Life, is it a Myth?

we think we need so many useless things when all we really need is time to breathe

Simplify. Simplify your life. Simply your product. Simplify your mind.

I am feeling overwhelmed with information on how to live a better life. And to compound this feeling, I’m feeling rather mis-aligned with this knowledge I now have. I’ve read the books, I’ve taken the notes, had the conversation, identified directions and milestones, but… I’m still not feeling aligned. Action is much louder than figments of my imagination.

This is a contradiction and a paradox of our modern [digital] life, and I really do want to strip down the barriers and align with the simplicity.

I think what gets me anxious is my sense of urgency, or simply put: my instant desire and my inability to accept change takes time. I am reminded daily by infographs or inspirational quotes that tell me it’s just a step away, that today is the day, that change happens now.

In all sincerity though, I believe this is a romantic idea of what a happy life really looks like. There’s something logical and calculated that I believe holds me back from immediately taking that step towards this romantic idea, and I think it’s this that becomes overwhelming.

Am I distracted? Perhaps it’s getting to that point.

I’m currently reading The Art of Happiness where the Dalai Lama puts it bluntly about his thoughts on romance. Now, this may just be because as a monk he’s sworn to celibacy, but he believe that the whole idea of romance isn’t healthy for a human to believe in as it leads us up to false ideals and misconceptions built upon commercialized concepts and unattainable, unrealistic lies we’ve been fed. One that plays on one of our most primal instinct as an animal in finding a life partner.

I’ve been thinking that perhaps the Dalai Lama is right, that the infomercials that look really nice and pretty that I’m trying to believe in are not really that attainable and it’s leading me straight down a path of disappointment.

Perhaps it’s this fact compounded with the fact that this path is never supposed to end, not dissimilar to the path to enlightenment.

What do you think? Are you also feeling overwhelmed?

I would gladly live out of a suitcase if it meant I could see the world

 

Productive Procrastination

168. Man Sitting at The Metropolitan Museum of Art 9-9-2008

A lot of time is spent procrastinating about events that are on the ‘to-do’ list. I know, I’m guilty as charged, and I’m sure some of you are too, after all, were all human. Unless you’re an alien from a far away galaxy that’s monitoring our inter-waves like some galaxial cowboy tracking my reports because your trying to flatter me, then yes, indeed you are human.

Now, as procrastination sticks in, my thought process goes, what is it that I’m getting tired or bored of doing, or just annoyed at having to do? Then I also find myself with thoughts going through my head of other things that I’d rather be doing, not necessarily unproductive thoughts, just not productive in the current task undertaken.

So I go ahead and get distracted; clean the fish tank, write a blog, order some pizza, have a cup of tea, or clean the washroom.

A revelation I’ve had now is that this is productive procrastination. This isn’t bad in the traditional sense.

Yes, it’s a distraction, but it’s still getting things done. I have a to-do list most days out of the week, and with this kind of procrastination, it’s getting done! I’m finding that all my tasks are getting done, and I’m staying sane at the same time. It’s hard to stay focused on one topic, subject, or medium for one great length of time, so it’s always good to get a break.

I find that it helps me focus better when I come back, I feel refreshed and alert and awake. It is really healthy to get the blood moving regardless of if you are changing your focus or not. Sitting in one place for to long, you will find that your blood starts to pool into your ass and legs, and your brain starts to loose its freshness (bad things).

In fact, I’m not sure if its rumor or not, but one of my university professors told the class that studies have been made, showing that if you exercise for 15 minutes your ability to learn, process, or test is heightened by at least 15% capacity.

exerciseball

So what I’m saying is to get up and walk around even if you aren’t looking for a distraction. Even pace around the room, stretch your legs, do some favorite yoga moves, whatever it be, just get some exercise and blood flowing through your veins. But remember, procrastination is something that nobody can ignore, it happens even to the most focused of people, but if you procrastinate in such a way that you can productively be moving forward in your day, then there is no need to feel any kind of regret or mal content with what your doing, stay positive!