Sometimes, I feel like a computer – not because I can calculate at inhumane speeds, but because I’ve got a thousand tabs open at any given moment.
This month, I’ve been looking to the future and creating epic visions, but I’ve also been balancing that energy with activities to keep me in the present, like walking meditations and these five easy ways to slow down and receive peace. This week, I’m giving you another challenge to help you maximize your creative power this month and during this wonderful year of renewal and manifestation, while still continuing to create space and periods of rest and presence.
The Challenge: Do One Thing at a Time
Just like walking meditations and other practices we’ve explored this month, this is remarkably simple. But, don’t be fooled, it packs a big punch. How often do you try to optimize by maximizing your time with multitasking?
I’ve been noticing my own habits of late and so much of my time is spent trying to do a million things at once. When I’m cooking, I’m listening to a podcast or audiobook or worrying about the upcoming task or day ahead. I still have work on the mind as I’m going through my bedtime routine. I let my mind drift while spending time with loved ones…
While, sometimes, I get wonderful ideas as I’m chewing on literally ALL THE THOUGHTS non-stop, moments of true rest seem few and far between. I just can’t seem to calm my brain. This is a masculine attribute gone awry. It stems from my desire for approval and the belief that the more I get done, the more people will respect me or the more worthy I will become.
So, this week’s challenge is to do one thing at a time and ease into the feminine, which delights in full attention and presence (just look at the way we do relationships— undivided attention and quality time goes a long way ????).
You can do a full implementation, doing one task at a time, the entire week. Or, set the intention to maximize your focus while doing specific tasks in your daily routine. For example: only work on one project at a time at work, instead of having multiple tabs open that pertain to unrelated projects. In the evenings, help your brain wind down by eating slowly and away from digital distractions.
The Effects of Doing One Thing at a Time
Naturally, doing things one at a time can help to improve your focus and productivity. When you give a task your full attention, you’re more likely to get it done faster and with fewer mistakes than if you were distracted.
While multitasking is about maximizing your time (even though it often has the opposite effect), singular tasking maximizes your natural brain capacity. Giving one task a little more TLC, helps you get into flow and allows ideas to come quickly and the task to finish with ease.
Task Hopping vs. Multitasking
Doing things one at a time doesn’t necessarily mean you have to complete a task before you move onto the next one. As Andrew O’Connell notes in the Harvard Business Review,
Getting your head out of one task and into another allows you to temporarily shut down your conscious thinking about the first one so that your unconscious mind can go to work on it.
Andrew O’Connell, HBR
For me, this is where intuition comes in. When a task, especially a creative one, is particularly difficult or needs more pondering, I take a step back and allow Spirit to guide me to a solution as I hop to another task. Often times, this doesn’t look like a conscious decision. I think that I’m procrastinating, when really I intuitively sense that more information and exploration is needed and my subconscious mind wants to chew things over.
Of course, you run the risk here of breaking the momentary flow and losing your momentum and mental bookmark, but you can autocorrect for that by noting what ideas were coming up for you before hopping to the next task.
Task hopping also leaves room for you to take the inspired action immediately when it pops up (Explore the mystically feminine in Vaginal Rejuvenation). This is a biggie, especially if you want to live and work more intuitively and infuse your life with feminine energy.
So, while I think it’s still useful to task hop where you feel led and complete when the time comes, what I’m advocating for and challenging you to this week is a more conscious and present existence. And this goes beyond your work. For instance, while having a meal with a friend or taking the trash out or brushing your teeth, allow yourself the luxury of doing just that one thing.
Get Started
Set the intention this week to be a minimalist with your work and activities. Choose at least one task to be completely present for and eliminate distractions where you can.
Remember: You are exactly where you need to be.
And you can only be at one place at a time. Embrace our human limitations and maximize your brain’s natural bandwidth, rather than operating from the angst and fear that there’s not enough time.
You have more than enough time to live the life that was meant for you.
This week’s intention: To embrace my limitations and receive the abundance and peace of the present moment and human experience.
Affirm: My life is happening now. I choose to be present with what is in front of me, now.
Share your experience doing one thing at a time in the comments below!
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