Monotasking: A cure for what ails ya

As you walk and eat and travel, be where you are, otherwise you will miss most of your life.”
- Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)

If you started your business to contribute something good to the world, how ironic it is that the practical day-to-day work seems so unrelenting sometimes?

“In Praise of Slowness” by Carl Honore is a fantastic book that addresses this problem of speed at the expense of happiness. He contends that the pace of life has so accelerated that it takes the joy and meaning out of everything we do – even the stuff we love.

Are you speeding?

I have a tendency to rush through things – sometimes at the expense of my own happiness. Like that wonderful Buddha quote, I’m in such a hurry that I miss out on the small joys of everyday tasks. I miss out on the sense of accomplishment. I rush past tender moments of connection with others.

Speed creeps up, too.

In the Oregon forests is a holistic business that I love, dedicated to spiritual retreat and self-nourishment . Even there, the pace has accelerated noticeably over the 10 years.

Artfully hand-drawn signage has been replaced by laminated computer printouts. A warm, live person on the phone has been replaced with a complicated phone tree. Instead of a valued guest, I’ve begun to feel like an unremarkable part of the crowd.

The drive to be quick is killing originality and beauty. Personally, I mourn its loss.

Fear is the fuel for speed

In the current economic climate, many of my clients and peers are catching the panic bug that rides on the coattails of uncertainty. We have a whole lot of uncertainty right now.

What a lot of people do with this fear is work harder – almost frenetically. You might be pushing to think up new ways to market your business. You might create new products and services.

A lot of the work I see happening right now is good – but it’s stemming from panic. Which is hard on your spirit.

What’s your little business to do?

If you want to make your business stand out and you want to enjoy your work more, monotask.

Do one task at a time with your whole heart.

Sound impossible?

Consider the alternative: According to helpguide.org, stress-related complaints include headaches, diarrhea or constipation, nausea, dizziness, insomnia, chest pain, weight gain, loss of sex drive, frequent colds (due to compromised immune system). 60-90% of all illnesses reported to physicians are related to our sped-up culture.

Holy cow. If that’s not a call to slow down, I don’t know what is.

Stepping off the speedy superhighway

Like Honore says in the book, “slowness” doesn’t mean you have to stop working entirely or be snail-paced and poky. Monotasking just means you bring mindfulness to every thing you do.

Therein lies freedom from worry and the source of contentment.

Things to try…

1. Breathe, trust, practice

Step out of the fray to stop as often as you can. Breathe mindfully and do something that nourishes your spirit like listening to soothing music, yoga, or taking a walk in nature.

If you can do 20 minutes or more per day, great, but fit in what you are able. Reconnecting with Something Larger Than You can help you remember what the real priorities in life are about.

2. Help yourself create focus

Are you uncertain about where to start because you have too many options? (hug) You’re not alone. Ask yourself this question to gain clarity and focus: “What would bring me the greatest peace if I completed it?” Trust the answer that comes up.

3. Work mindfully

Work as if this is the only thing you have to do right now. Bring your full attention to it by eliminating distractions where possible. Work on one task at a time, bringing each to completion before moving on to another.