I can’t remember where I heard this but something in me sat up and paid attention when I did.
“You have a job to do right now”.
I’ve heard this said before in other ways such as ‘How you do anything is how you do everything’ and ‘pay attention to the present’ etc, but I think it must have been in the way this was phrased, that really made me pay attention. I’m a Mum to a three year old and baby and often my attention is pulled in so many different directions, it can be really difficult to stay focused. And when I am focused on something, I often don’t know how long I might have to focus on the thing at hand.
I’m not entirely sure what the intention of this article is other than to share some of my thoughts with you. Deep down I think it’s about being a Mum, balance, and also knowing what and who to prioritise, because right now I don’t have all the free time in the world. Time is very precious and I want to get the balance right.
In all honestly, I can’t remember the last time I had over three hours to just do nothing. My free time at the moment is when my baby is napping and in my head I’m often thinking, how can I make the most of this hour right now. Do I read my book, do some of my counselling course, write an article, think up a new business idea, do some yoga, meditate…
I think the statement ‘You have a job to do right now’ struck a chord, because it really isn’t about what I’m doing, but whether I’m paying attention or not.
It reminds me of the time I was introduced to Karma yoga at a Sivananda ashram in Tamil Nadu in India. I have never loved sweeping the floor so much because I was genuinely giving the job my full attention and I was present. Yet, why do I often find this so difficult, even as a yoga teacher, to consistently implement this attitude in my own life? I really want to get better at it.
Perhaps I have a fear of missing out or an obsession with being productive and maximising every minute I have because I fear being lazy. Who knows. It comes back to the idea of choice I think. Even before sitting down to write this article, there was this little voice saying, ‘Is this really the best use of your time?’
This then leads me to another point – information and ‘stuff’ overload and the myth of finding the perfect thing to do or way to spend your time etc, because it’s more about how you go about doing it and the response you choose in any given moment.
Either way, the phrase ‘You have job to do right now’ has been helpful when I feel like I’m being pulled in multiple directions. I might be playing with my son, and then have to stop to change a nappy, then answer a question about my Son’s new Optimus Prime toy… I know multi tasking is a myth but I feel in every moment – especially when my attention is here there and everywhere – I must remember that my job is to be present.
This has all been said so many times, and I think this poem called hokusai Says by Roger Keyes sums it up best.
Free Masterclass to help develop your focus
Finally, on the subject of focus and paying attention, here is a free Mindvalley masterclass you can do online
