Focus Through Doing

Engraving by Walter Geikee

Try as I might, I still experience moments where my mind drifts toward fears and concerns that are well beyond my immediate control—the "what ifs" of life that carry me away from the importance business of now. When this happens, one of the best methods I have learned to try and wrangle my wandering mind is through intentional doing.

THE BUFFER OF ROUTINE

I revel in the solid reinforcement of routines. Routine serves as pillars that help support my day. They provide me with a predictable structure that helps guard against the chaos of the world. And they are completely within my control! Sometimes, however, the power of an ordinary routine isn’t quite enough and I need something with a little more juice.

THE POWER OF SMALL PROJECTS

When this happens, and a stable routine isn’t cutting through and providing the relief I need, I will pivot to a project. It doesn't have to be elaborate; in fact, simplicity is often the point. By dedicating time to a specific task, I often find myself centered and refocused. It is a lesson to myself that while I cannot control the big things in the world, I do often have total authority and control over the task that is right in front of me.

MOVING THE BODY, MOVING THE MIND

A final thought: these resets are often even more effective when I am able to engage my full body. I find that a walk, a hike, or a workout can often do what logic alone sometimes cannot: it forces my mind to inhabit the present moment and focus on the physical work that I am engaged in.

Movement is both an opportunity to burn energy as well as order my thoughts. Through this act, I can strip away the insubstantial things and return to the realities of my own physical body and its place in the world. In the end, staying centered isn't about ignoring the future—it's about trusting that the best way to prepare for it is to be fully present in the work of today.