This week we are talking all about one mindfulness and multitasking.
What is One Mindfulness?
One Mindfulness is the practice of doing one thing at a time, with all of your attention on just that one thing. It is the opposite of how most of us operate, especially us New Yorkers. Even when we feel as though we are focusing on one thing, our minds wander or we aren’t actually thinking about the task we should be focusing on.
There are two core aspects of One Mindfulness.
The first is staying in the present moment. The second is doing one thing at a time. When these two aspects are combined, one is able to exist fully in the present moment, their focus entirely committed to the task or activity at hand.
How do we prevent ourselves from achieving or practicing One Mindfulness?
Ruminating over the past:
Instead of living in the present moment, we think about the past. “Should I have done that; I wish something else had happened; what if I had done this; why did I do that; etc.” When we are too focused on the past, we deny ourselves the ability to even notice what is happening in the present.
Ruminating over the future
Similar to ruminating over the past, we also spend much of our time fretting or worrying about or anticipating the future. “What will I do; will I be able to do this; I can’t wait for this to happen; etc. Instead of existing in the present moment, your time is used only to try to anticipate future moments that you cannot control.
Dividing your attention
Splitting our focus interferes with our ability to commit to the present moment. When you are trying to do more than one thing at a time, you don’t exist fully in either.
Dividing your attention by multitasking:
There is the idea that multitasking helps us to be more efficient, but actually, multitasking reduces our efficiency. Not only does it divide our attention, but it leads to us doing lower quality work on whatever task we’re working on. That often leads to creating more work for us down the road. Additionally, it lowers our enjoyment of the activities we are splitting our focus between.
It is impossible to do more than one thing at once!
While you may think you are working on two things at one time, what you are actually doing is very rapidly tearing your focus from one thing and giving it to another, back and forth and back and forth, until you have completed both tasks. This constant disruption in your attention actually requires more mental energy than just doing one thing at a time.
Research has shown that multitasking hinges on jumping from one thing to another, and if this is done repeatedly, it becomes a habitual tendency. This can lead us to become less patient and give up on certain tasks that we find difficult and boring. Additionally, it hinders our ability to concentrate on one task at a time.
How can we practice One Mindfulness utilizing DBT?
Mindful Breathing
If you find your mind wandering, or find it difficult to stop multitasking, take a few minutes for mindful breathing. It will help ground you and bring you back to the present. To do this, find a comfortable position to sit in, eyes open or closed, depending on what feels right to you. Breathe in through your nose for three seconds, hold it for two seconds, and breathe out through your mouth for four seconds. Repeat this until you feel yourself become calm and grounded.
Mindful Journaling
Let your thoughts and feelings flow onto a page. Focus all of your attention onto journaling. Ask yourself why you’re ruminating, what it is telling you about yourself, and your feelings. Then when you have run through those ruminations, describe the present moment. What does your journal look like, how does the pen feel in your hand, how do you feel having let go of wandering thoughts, what does the air around you smell like, what do you see, etc.
Meditation
If you have difficulty with sitting meditation, try meditative tasks. Wash the dishes, brush your teeth, fold your laundry, etc. Focus only on that task. If you are washing the dishes, think of how the water feels, what does the soap smell like, what are you cleaning, how do your hands feel, etc. When your mind wanders, redirect it and ask yourself a question about the task at hand. Try to focus your mind on only that one task throughout the entirety of doing it.
Refocus
When your mind wanders, that’s okay! It happens to all of us–staying in the present and focused on one thing at a time takes a lot of practice and conscious effort. Remember to be kind to yourself when practicing One Mindfulness. Don’t worry if you constantly find yourself needing to refocus.
When you find your mind or attention wandering ask yourself: Refocus: “Is this happening in the present moment?” “Is this part of the task I am trying to focus on?” “Is this a past or future moment I’m ruminating on?” Let the wandering thoughts come in, but if they are not to do with the present, let them go. Picture it like blossoms falling into a river. Each thought that is not to do with the present is a different blossom. You notice it falling, it grabs your attention for a moment, but then it is carried downstream.
Remember this about Mindfulness and Multitasking:
There are many ways to practice One Mindfulness! As long as you practice being aware and mindful of one task at hand, you can try it with any activity.
Any step you take towards improving One Mindfulness and reducing Multitasking are steps in the right direction!
“There is a temptation to multitask everything, but you can’t multitask presence.” – Cindy Crawford
