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Week 4 - Focus Informal Practices

Monitoring our Focus: Notice when you zoom in too close on something in your mind, learning to zoom out to be aware of the surroundings and larger context, the space around our thoughts and emotions, and vice versa.

Bringing focus to our activities: Watch for moments when you become mindless in ways that might be problematic, and cultivating keeping focus on sensations in daily activities, such as mindful walking, mindful listening, and so forth. You can make this more deliberate by choosing one area of your life that feels like it needs more attention (be honest with yourself, as this might not be something you exactly enjoy). This might be sleep, working out, time with friends, time with a pet, cleaning your room, playing music, conversations with family, or eating.  Choose something doable and set aside time each day for really bringing full awareness to activity.  Set aside technology or multi-tasking.  Notice when you feel that addiction.  Notice when your attention wanders and bring it back intentionally to that activity. Journal daily about your experience with this activity.  Does it become less annoying, more joyful, etc. over time?  Easier to pay attention to?  What is the quality of your investment in that activity? If it involves another, does it impact that relationship in any way? When you do that activity bring an exclusive focus to that and nothing else. This could also include considering questions you may want to reflect on while doing this activity, if appropriate.

Mind Wandering and Return: Throughout the day, noticing when you become lost in thoughts and/or emotions, and, if it feels right, let your awareness bring yourself back to the breath and body in those moments.



 

Week 4 - Focus Informal Practices
Collection The Art and Science of Human Flourishing - Fall 2017
Visibility Public - accessible to all site users (default)
UID mandala-texts-47081
DOI