One Step At A Time

I used to be proficient in multi-tasking.  I thought that was the best way to handle my job, my life at home and with friends.  My job in NYC, when I was in my 20’s, commanded that I multi-task, and I learned from the best corporation to do that with. I was able to handle at least 2 or 3 tasks at once, on a daily basis. In my 30’s, I had children and took what I learned from my job in NYC, to my job as a mom. Again, I had to multi-task in order to beat the clock and fit all the tasks involved for my kids in a given day.  Was I exhausted by the end of each day?  Absolutely!  There had to be another way to get most done, but not in such a rushed way where I had to multi-task several times in a day.

 Ways In Which I Learned To Slow Down

I felt burned out after multi-tasking on a daily basis.  I decided I needed to make time for myself each day, even if it was for only 10 minutes.  I started to exercise at home, doing simple exercises consistently.  It felt so good to release some of the tension in my body and to start to get back into shape again! The 10 minute exercise break that I took a few times a week, did wonders for me.  I was able to feel a bit more relaxed and able to take on the next task, which was either taking my kids to an activity or making dinner.

Slowly, as my kids got older and I got smarter, I learned to slow things down a bit.  Always rushing and beating the clock, especially at the end of August, before school started again, was one of the times of the year, that most of us dreaded.  From getting the teachers’ supplies list, to waiting on line to purchase them ( now on-line purchases can make it much easier), to shopping for clothes, and for college bound students, buying not only school supplies, but things for the dorm room, etc.

Think, how can you slow things down, so you can handle the above situation if it applies to you?  (Or it can be another situation that is stressful, where you can apply the same idea.)

For me, I joined a gym, went a few times a week for a whole hour or so! I felt like a kid having play time, just for me!  I even learned to love yoga, which took me about 6 months to really enjoy, as my multi-tasking days and over-thinking mind kept going in the class.  I had to learn to turn off the chatter in my mind and slow down the movements in my body.  Learning to do yogic breathing really helped, as well.  Today, yoga, is second nature to me.  It took me a long time to get here, and I learned not to rush it, but to take “One Step At A Time.” These words are very meaningful to me today, almost as if it is my mantra, to slow down, not to rush, to breathe, relax, etc.

I also learned to meditate, which took many, many years for me to just sit there.  I am up to about 11 minutes now, which took some time to get to.  Meditation, slows down the mind and chatter, and helps us connect with our inner-selves.  It is extremely important to try to meditate, even if you just start with 2 minutes.  Once you start, you feel refreshed, calmer, connected to oneself and beyond.  I also learned to be aware of when I am starting to multi-task.  This was a signal to tell myself to slow down, and do tasks “one step at a time”.

The days of beating the clock are over, and I couldn’t be happier.

What can you do on a daily or weekly basis to slow down, make time for yourself, and try to minimize multi-tasking?