“Have you ever driven home from work,” a client asked, “and realized that you have absolutely no recollection of the drive? Like you’ve done it so many times, your car just goes where it needs to go, and it’s all a blur to you?
“That’s how I feel like I’m living my life. On complete autopilot.”
Can you relate?
I’m willing to bet many of us can, on some level. We live in a go-go-go time, often running on autopilot – and on empty – all at once.
But it’s just the time we live in, right? What can we do about it?
Well, it turns out, a lot.
I’ve long said that time management ultimately comes down to two key factors: priorities and intention. In other words, deciding what deserves your highest attention, then consciously choosing to place your attention there.
Living and working with intention doesn’t require a complete overhaul, either. Start with your morning: What’s one thing you could do upon waking that would focus on what matters most rather than “what’s always there”? Forego the email and social media first thing in the morning in favor of a quiet word of gratitude, a bit of stretching, some journaling. You’ll start your day with intention, setting the tone for the rest of the day.
Consider actually setting an intention for the day, too: A word or phrase that captures who and how you want to be in the world that day. Calm? Focused? Energized? Positive? Intentional? Scan your day’s activities and choose a word that speaks to what’s ahead. You can call your intention word to mind all throughout the day for a quick pattern-break and reminder to focus on your intention.
Experiment with your senses, too. Earlier this year I read the book Mindfulness by Williams and Penman, and I will never forget their simple-but-poignant exercises – like slowly eating a small piece of dark chocolate, paying attention to the sound of the wrapper, the shape of the chocolate, the texture, the scent, the feel as it melts in your mouth. When you practice mindfulness in small activities like this, you start to embrace how you can move with greater intention through other areas of your life as well.
Take note of what distracts you most, too. Your phone? TV? Social media? A less-than-helpful habit? You can just as easily begin your intentional practice by removing a distraction rather than adding an activity.
When you begin living and working with greater intention, and make it part of your regular practice, the benefits will be so pleasant you will likely want to continue. How will you start bringing more intention into your work and life today?
When you know your purpose, intention flows much more easily. Join us to write your Purpose Statement at Spark! Click here for details.