“Everybody needs a plan” is something I regularly discuss with my clients and in many ways, I stick with that – I like a plan.
However……as I have learned myself, sometimes concentrating on the present moment and focusing on what is actually in front of us can be much better for our wellbeing.
Having a plan.
Plans are great; they allow us to feel in control, give us perspective and help us focus on what we want and need to achieve both at work and at home. They also mean that we can get so caught up in planning that we don’t enjoy the moment.
How many times have you made a plan and then a curve ball comes in, causing the plan to change significantly or not happen at all? Does it throw you? Have you been so focused on what’s happening next that you have missed what’s happening now?
Making the most of time.
I think as you get older, certainly for me, you witness events that you really were not expecting, things that you couldn’t, wouldn’t have ever planned for and all of a sudden you become very aware of the importance of time and making the most of it.
How often do you find yourself looking back at the weeks that have whizzed by and wondering what you’ve actually done and I’m not talking about being productive here, more a case of “oh my god a whole month has passed….”
How do we learn to be more present?
Below, you will find some ideas that I have worked on in my own life and also worked on with clients – maybe they can help you too?
- Don’t over commit – sometimes we are so busy planning ahead, trying to fit everyone and everything in, we leave no gaps in the diary. This leads to feeling overwhelmed and constantly juggling to keep everybody happy. Not booking things too far in advance leaves space for more spontaneous activity.
- Appreciate the now – this takes practice and also an element of slowing things down but taking the time to look around you and appreciate where you are, what you are doing and who you are with reminds you to be present.
- Get off the phone – be present for those you are with. Listen to them, learn to NOT multi task. Your time is a precious gift and learning to be fully present with those around you not only improves relationships but gives you a sense of wellbeing.
- It’s the little things – savour the early morning cup of tea, breathe in the fresh air, notice how your delicious sandwich tastes, notice the birds singing, concentrate on the senses. Literally stop and “smell the roses.”
- Here and now – what can you actually do right here, right now. If it’s at work, what do you need to concentrate on, to focus on to get the job done? Outside work, what is right in front of you – what do you need/want to do right now, less procrastinating, more focusing on the now.
Focusing on the now.
Living in the present takes practice, we are so used to planning, to constantly looking to what is happening next that we forget to concentrate on now. As odd as it can feel, it can also be strangely liberating.
