"Pay attention to what's in front of you— the principle, the task, or what's being portrayed." —MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 8.22

I was born an impatient person who liked to slay as many chores/tasks in a twenty-four hour period as possible. Completing a list of tasks just naturally feels good, it provides a sense of accomplishment not to mention a mighty satisfying brain-chemical release.

Our school and work lives reinforce this productivity-based mindset. This emphasis on productivity was probably forged during the Industrial Revolution as before this period in humanity’s history quality and craftsmanship was held in higher esteem.

As I got older and started meditating in the early 1990’s I began to notice how much more enjoyment I got out of these tasks when I slowed down, took more care/focus, and did each one to the best of my ability instead of just rushing through. This slower, more purposeful way of thinking and living has a way of shifting more towards the pursuit of excellence than it does pure output.

As someone who wasn’t naturally inclined to think this way I find myself continually having to refocus. I'm still a work in progress. I have to keep bringing myself back into the frequency of this never-ending pursuit of excellence. Every time I do this I feel more accomplished, at peace, and complete. Details matter. Excellence matters. Many times I discover productivity isn't effected much at all. You may discover meticulousness is even more rewarding than robotically and absentmindedly checking tasks off of a list. Patience takes practice.

When going about your next week why not—take a deep breath, relax, and totally focus on your task at hand? You may discover something you’ve been missing out on all along. Focus on one thing at a time. It’s a much more peaceful, grounded way to live and is more in-tuned with our true nature. Remember, slow and steady wins the race. How you do anything is how you do everything.

For the coming week, set a notification on your mobile device for once during the morning and once in the afternoon (or write it on a Post-It Note and put it on your mirror), remind yourself…

This will serve as a daily reminder throughout the next week to stay the course.

Be well, make the most of this day. Thank you for reading!

If you're interested in learning to meditate, please take a look at my book, The Perfect Pause.

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