In the post Improve Your Memory, I explained how multitasking interferes with memory functioning, or more precisely, interferes with your attention/concentration and consequently your ability to mentally encode new information. Hopefully, you’ve become more aware of your habits and now attempt to minimize multitasking when you can. If you’re trying to fully focus on one thing at at time, you’re practicing mindfulness!
Research on mindfulness suggests that regular practice of mindfulness improves your ability to focus!
Here’s an article by Maria Konnikova regarding recent findings and implications in mindfulness research.
What is mindfulness? To make it really simple–it’s focusing on one thing, in the present moment.
The diaphragmatic breathing I’ve mentioned several times? That counts as mindfulness. Sitting quietly and gathering your thoughts before beginning a task, ‘a la Sherlock Holmes? (See Konnikova’s article!) That’s also mindfulness. Fully immersing yourself in a home improvement project or creating art? Also counts as mindfulness!
Please take a few minutes today to practice mindfulness!
This can be as simple as taking a few diaphragmatic breaths–try to work this into your daily routine. Research suggests that practicing mindfulness can positively impact your attention and concentration.
If you want to learn more, the UCLA MIndful Awareness Research Center is a good resource and has free mindfulness training podcasts. This article from the American Psychological Association details the empirically validated benefits of mindfulness.
How and when do you practice mindfulness?
Do you find yourself worrying about things that have not yet happened and may not happen at all? This type of worry is called “anticipatory anxiety.”
Anticipatory anxiety is a maladaptive coping mechanism people use to try to prepare themselves for an unpleasant or traumatic event that may or may not take place in the future.
Anticipatory anxiety is maladaptive because:
- Research shows that, in general, we are not accurate predictors of how we will emotionally respond to real life occurrences. (For an overview, read Stumbling on Happiness by Dan Gilbert.)
- Anticipatory anxiety is often focused on events that might happen. If the event never happens, you’ve wasted a tremendous amount of emotional energy. And you may not know for certain the event is not going to happen until your dying day–what a depressing thought!
Coping techniques for anticipatory anxiety:
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If the anxiety-provoking event will happen in the near future:
For example, you’re scheduled to give a public presentation–focus on what you can do to prepare. Preparation (for something real, not imagined!) is the best antidote to anxiety.
Actually, this is the very reason people often fall victim to anticipatory anxiety–they are maladaptively applying a coping mechanism that has worked well in the past for real events for which they could prepare.
In your preparation for an imminent anxiety-provoking event, use Mental Rehearsal and make certain you visualize yourself handling the situation well. If you start to focus on fear or anxiety, use Visualization to let that go. Take a break if you can’t distance from the anxious feelings.
Your anticipatory anxiety is often worse than the anxiety during the actual event, whether it’s something you have to do (such as giving a public presentation) or something you’re exposed to that frightens you (flying in an airplane). Your anxiety may peak just before and during the first few moments of the event (again, try to prepare for this with Mental Rehearsal, Visualization, and Relaxation Techniques), but the worst of it is over in a few minutes–certainly not worth hours of anticipatory anxiety!
If you’re prone to panic attacks, remember to do your diaphragmatic breathing, which is amazingly effective at warding off panic attacks. Some readers may remember back in the day when your doctor would give you a paper bag to breathe into when you received bad news–it’s the same concept as diaphragmatic breathing–slowing the intake of oxygen to balance O2 and carbon dioxide in your system so you don’t have a panic attack.
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If a sad event will likely happen at some point in the future, but you have no idea when:
For example, you know one day someone close to you will die–have a simple plan of action, but don’t dwell on the event.
Under no circumstances should you try to mentally rehearse your grief and anticipate how you will feel afterward! This is the worst form of anticipatory anxiety!
There’s no way you can make a sad event easier by mentally rehearsing it!
In fact, this only emotionally tires you out such that a) you’re not fully enjoying life before the event occurs, and b) when the event does occur, you’re already emotionally exhausted and therefore ill-prepared to emotionally cope. Don’t spend your time before a sad event worrying about when it will happen and how you will feel. Instead, shore up your emotional resources when times are good so you will be better prepared when difficult times come. If you’ve been working on a Daily Routine, you’ll have the comfort of that routine during the worst of it.
You may also find that using the Filler Task technique is useful when you’re trying to break the habit of anticipatory anxiety.
For today, brush up on one (or more!) of the coping techniques I’ve suggested in this post, and start working on extinguishing anticipatory anxiety!
Want to share techniques that work for you?
Today, I want you to ask yourself one (or all!) of these questions. If you’re a writer, you may want to write out your thoughts.
- What have you learned this week?
- Have you missed an opportunity this week?
- How are you different today than you were a year ago?
- If it were possible, what advice would you give to your teenaged self? How can you make use of that advice today?
Self examination mentally prepares us for making healthy, adaptive choices!
Reflecting on our progress, goals, and challenges cognitively primes us to recognize opportunities for self improvement and growth. If you’re not thinking about self improvement, chances are you tend to “go through the motions” and miss opportunities to think or respond differently and take on new challenges.
If you’re feeling motivated, check out thoughtquestions.com. This blog asks “one new thought-provoking question every day.”
Think back over the last week–when did you feel happy, content, satisfied, or proud of your effort? What made you feel good? Repeat that today!
Simple pleasures count–did you go for a walk, prepare a nutritious meal, or just get up and out of the house on time in the morning?
This post is reminiscent of Define Your Good Day, but narrows it to one specific activity. If you can’t repeat the activity today, make note and make time for it soon.
If you’re struggling to think of a time you felt happy or content over the last week, think of something that used to bring you pleasure–maybe listening to music or watching a favorite tv show? Try that.
Need inspiration? Here’s a great post from A Big Creative Yes:
100 Simple Beautiful Things That Make Me Happy
Want to share what made you happy over the past week?
Have you been working on the tips in Get a Good Night’s Sleep? Here are a few more tips to combat insomnia!
Circadian rhythms have a strong influence on your sleep patterns, and if your biological clock is out of whack, you’re not going to get a good night’s sleep.
If you have trouble falling asleep:
- You may benefit from more exposure to early morning sunlight to reset your circadian rhythms.
If you tend to wake up in the middle of the night or early morning and have trouble going back to sleep:
- You may benefit from exposure to sunlight in the evening, especially during the hour before sunset.
- For iPhone: Sleep Cycle
- For Android: Sleep as Android
If you think you would benefit from a comprehensive program for insomnia, you may want to check out www.cbtforinsomnia.com.
What sleeping tips work for you?
