It’s a second when you realize that your mind was actually somewhere else and this knowledge can easily bring you back to work. What’s important is awareness of your own thoughts and emotions – once you achieve this, it’s going be easy to keep them in control. If you want to master it, you should learn how to be a Watcher – being outside of your own mind and watching it from there instead of flowing together with your thoughts. Always be the one who is in charge – never let your mind control your life.
Where I find mindfulness really useful is communication. If I’m not focused or I’m stressed out, my skills significantly decline. There is a neurobiological reason for it: the part of our brain – the amygdala – makes us defensive when confronting a possible source of danger. Taking into consideration how much the world has changed and how we have evolved, this tiny thing has not changed a bit in the last 100,000 years. Bad for us. Bad for me, since I can get anxious pretty easily. I need to learn to overcome it, to build a mental strength. An efficient way to do so is regular mindfulness meditation.
There was a situation when during NBA playoffs a camera caught James LeBron sitting on the side with closed eyes, trying to focus on his breathing. “Practicing mindfulness meditation for a few minutes each day can actually boost willpower by building up gray matter in areas of the brain that regulate emotions and govern decision making,” McGonigal says.
Just know that there is no right or wrong approach. Keep focusing on mindfulness, build a routine out of it, and progress will follow.
Despite so many stimulidistracting us during the day, stay focused on the present. Concentrate on your body, breathing and inner self. By doing this, you’ll find focus and unlock your full potential. Mindfulness is the way to reach a peak point of your performance. You just need to learn to focus.
Go and listen to this podcast: http://thestartupchat.com/5-overwhelmed/