Mindfulness Daily Checkin May 21, 2018
Monday get going thread. I think one of the important things that helps me is to stop focusing on how great the weekend was and just focus on what we have to do today. This is where mindfulness really helps me. When I start drifting off thinking of all the fun I had or all the work I did all weekend, I redirect my focus to what I need to do today.
How can you focus your energy on getting started this monday?
What did you do previous Mondays that helped you get going and start your day on a positive note?
What can you do to help divert your attention from the bunch of thoughts that seem to slow you down or stop you from taking action?
Happy Monday.
To add or remove your name, please submit this short form https://goo.gl/NQxyyb
@303315 @awesomerainbow @adocker @adventurousfan @Ady23 @amicableBlackberry1972 @AutumnLeigh @amiablePeace77 @AMusicalSilence @astray @AnActiveListener @AjanMalic @aifos1976 @asilentobserver @alfalfasproutdeux @ambitiouschestnut9158 @ambitiouscity3124 @Asimov @badoinkitydoop @basty @blueocean @BillyWilson @babybenfin @behindhazeleyes @beloved316 @BetterTogether101 @BeyondTheInvisible @billywilson @blindfaith @BlueberryFriend @BlueMossWeaver27 @blueocean45 @borderinline @brainybrainy @BridgetAileen @brilliantTurtle89 @BuddhistDracula @blueDiamond @brendenjensen @brilliomturtle89 @bluewolf1229 @benevolentOrange31 @bk20102kb @brightChestnut4066 @busyemptymind @callforhelp @calmHero86 @CaringBrit @Catlover1993 @Char1otte @Chocolateandcakes @Claito @cloudySummer @compassionatelistener108 @cookeybear @courageousCake401 @CrissiArabela @courtmarievibes @Cyanapricot8399 @cyanWater7627 @DanaMH @diplomaticShade2167 @Deeperblue @diplomaticconfucious @discreetOwl14 @elmira73 @enigmaforte @EnigmaForte @emilyLanes @EmOnTheGo @EmunahHere @epitium @equanimousCosmos @ErRoach @Evaparker02 @essdee Fairhouse @FreeSoul1417@fighter23 @frozenmermaid @Gaara @gentlePeace76 @ghofrane @GhostInTheShellx @gongoozlersoup19 @Gozzil @gracefuldeadlyswan @happydandan @happylove2611 @helpfulHuman4993 @helpfulBranch221 @Harleemoon @Hope3729 @hopefulnatural @houserabbitsrule @HeckhoundBreaker5 @helpfullBranch221 @Hereyzzil @hopeless104 @humorouscamp915 @IcyLight @InvisibleAngel92 @Itsybitsyspider91 @inventiveOrange1 @JayTheBird14 @joyoussun45 @JustMarije @JZack45 @keion @kindsoul10 @kirtokun0731@kevan @klemen @knowledge57 @Kodachrome73 @Joe2017 @JustLikeMellie @Jenna0903 @joyoussun47 @JenSee @justconfuses87 @Kanzi @KatMae @KokoroHereForYou @kvo8 @KattPiper @Kumiko @ladibugca @LG22 @Lionellinu13 @lia345 @Learntolive @LilaGrace @Lifeislove123 @lightforlife @lilynoelle @LilyLila @lightofhope89 @Lovejoy @leothelittlelioncub1 @longing4peace @maibock @marsmoon @melliontm @melliotm @Mellietronx @Mikey123 @MistyMagic @motivationalhomegirl @Musicismyfriend @NancySV1 @natg @navyFarm1407 @NevaehRose @niceTangerine6642 @NoDramaBabyLlama @NotQuiteBlue @nourrirvotreame @obie2 @onwardforevenmore @oxfordshiregatsby @P4ND0R4 @passionateCircle3866 @peacefulwarrior10 @penguinpower31 @peppermintlove @philispohicalShip9444 @PiecesofYou @Pininin @PinkDaisy83 @PinkMallow @pinkpurpleblue15 @Pinnae @pizzalover1341 @politeAvocado7234 @politelychaotic @princessofcurcus @probius @psalm139 @PurpleSnowflake2310 @politeskies6536 @PurpleNina @rachelq @raspberry985 @Raspberrybeach @rationaltiger8083 @Ravenclaw7 @reliableWater8763 @Reokiome0928 @rezasophiea @RoninSelecta @rosesway @Rcusick12 @roseMelody95 @rumplesteeleskin @RynnTheBedouin @Sageypie @Saif1for1Resilience @sail46 @SaimaK @Samar27 @Santysan @SarilinaN @ScarletPear1945 @ScotchTape @seacastle @sendingyoulove @SensitiveApple @sensitiveShade5337 @SentientCozyTeacup @ShiningSalamander99 @Shweta555 @shy @silverIceCream21 @silverWillow1625 @singblue @Sk1ttles @SkolSuper1976 @sleeplessinmanhattan @Softforesthsp77 @soulrestorer102 @soulsings @Spearstar @stillLavender24 @stillplanet @starhawkemystery @sujaypai @SunFern @summertimesamness @SunFlower @supportingearthangel @sweetmango91 @sweetMelody95 @ThePersonYouCanNeverKnow @TheRoseHeartz @TheSciKid @Tiggergirl @tisjme @TrinnitysLight81 @24x7Awesome @Understandinggirl1990 @unkindloving @uselesscookies @Vargasb @VickyP @victoriia @wildcat85 @Wawas @westvirginia @wizeakre @XxOgSpunBbygrl @yzzil @zeraphim
@soulsings Warmer weather, brings mindful days filled with sunshine and a slight breeze as we slowly roll into the summer months. Warmer waether always increases my mindfulness of the outdoors as I transition day by day managing my anxiety from personal to work life balance.
@Poptart19 sounds like wonderful things to focus on.
What can you do to help divert your attention from the bunch of thoughts that seem to slow you down or stop you from taking action?
What I have been doing to divert my attention to other things is helping build the wiki on 7cups. Learning lots of stuff and getting great resources for everyone to use saved on there.
@DanaMH I am so glad for you that you find something on 7cups that inspires you. Your efforts really add to the whole community.
@soulsings
Thanks
@soulsings
Thanks for the post :D
How can you focus your energy on getting started this Monday?
I think keeping things bite size is important when looking at the overall week -- if your list of things to do gets over 10, you're going to feel overwhelmed. Figure out a way that you're comfortable with to track your progress (I've tried a few, post it notes are by far my best as I can moved it from To Do, Progress, Done - scribbling notes on the back or adding post its as needed.
What did you do previous Mondays that helped you get going and start your day on a positive note?
Try to tune the office drama out -- it's starts pretty much starts at 8:10AM here and spirals out of control solidly by 10:00AM with shouting like discussion about any and every topic (topping out at school playground volume and they're only 15 ft apart), attempts to out-brag (my aunt died from blah, so did mine but drs said blah.... ) and so on. It's tiring... and trying to actually get things done relative to the job -- becomes harder with these distractions.
Make sure I can get away for lunch and have time for breaks. 7Cups comes in quite handy for the breaks.
What can you do to help divert your attention from the bunch of thoughts that seem to slow you down or stop you from taking action?
MP3 player is a definite friend -- push comes to shove, at least one ear bud goes in to try to drown some of the RL chatter and the frustration dialogue. Not always successful -- but better than nothing.
Look at what you have to do, look at what you are doing, and look at what you've done -- this is where a Kaban-style board might work and help overcome the "I haven't gotten anything done".
Look at your list -- what is actually a lower priority and put off to do... what will not jam up any other project and allow you to keep going. Take the time eater, low priority and move it to the bottom -- take away some of the un-warranted stress and confirm with yourself - this isn't needed right now, so it can wait.
GET AWAY FROM YOUR DESK/OFFICE -- yes, I'm emphatic about this. Don't stay at your desk without breaks. Get up - go to the breakroom, the restroom, take a ride on the elevator, take a fresh air break -- your employer doesn't appreciate how much time you spend at your desk to get a project done, what you sacrifice. They don't care if you feel burned out. They don't care if you are pulling your hair out. There are 1000's of applicants for your job -- that's what they know, YOU ARE REPLACEABLE. Wear you out, burn you up -- and there's a new, nameless you to pick up where you left off. Take your breaks, break the stress, and pick back up with a renewed you and a renewed view.
Skip the coffee -- go for the water. Really! Water is probably what your body is craving anyway. Whether filtered, artisian, imported, sparkling, mineral, seltzer or tonic -- switch the brew for a chilled glass of water. Make your water a treat -- infuse your water with your favorite fruit or veggie, choose a flavored seltzer you enjoy, splurge on imported water from France, Fiji, Iceland or whereever, splurge on a craft tonic water. Treat water as a treat and you might hit your 8-10 glasses a day, feel a little better, notice your belt loosening, and other little changes to how your day/life/world are going.
Gamefy your work -- turn it into a game. Wha, I can't do that? Yes, you can. Assign points to task and set a reward at X points. Set achievement rewards -- do A, B, and C and go to your favorite place for lunch! Finish a project that wasn't due for 2 days -- movie night!
Find a support network -- yay 7Cups -- and let it out. Nothing worse than perking with the daily grind and crap of the office and it following you home and ruining EVERYTHING. You're friends in real life may not be as supportive as you like (been there, done that, got the tshirt, burnt it, sprinkled the ashes in the garden, tossed on the seeds, and waiting for the garden to grow) and you may need to seek alternative supports.
Okay... done for a while. Must find my mp3 player... :D
@diplomaticconfucious Thank you for your post. The work piece is what hit me most. Always looking for another perspective to help get me through the grind until I have the energy to start over with a new place of employment as its hard to give something youve dedicated yourself to for 5 years and have proved yourself to move up within your multiple positions. Thank you!!!
@Poptart19
Thanks... I understand your position a bit. I've been through similar with the creation of the corporation from being a volunteer to catch-all jane-of-all-trades -- through it's legal steps and efforts to be legitimized with bylaws and IRS paperwork, transitions of management from the one in the know to the one that is driving it into the ground, and now the not-so-sunny trip into the dark nebula of legality/ethics violations and questionable continuance of the corporation. My loyalty isn't to the person at the helm - but to the constituency I serve and the original purpose of the corporation. But I can see now -- this isn't going to live much longer and definitely isn't meeting its mission statement and purpose.
But I still have to keep going until I find something new -- and it's not just that easy, saying it and it happening. Contrary to my "friends" who think I should have already had 500 jobs over by now or think I"m being too picky. I'm at a point - if I have to do something I either need to love it or love the money that comes with it -- and not really depending either to bring happiness, contentment, or bolster me emotionally. Maybe I'm a pessimist -- but I'm tired of living paycheck to paycheck and taking the bruises and lumps for a job that doesn't matter to me or me matter to them.
I have to find ways through the days when things are dumped at last minute notice. I have to figure out how to juggle my duties, the admin's duties that have been moved to my desk because the admin is expected to do them, the duties of the boss who doesn't want to do them for myriads of reasons, the duties of the Board of Director Secretary - which I shouldn't have, and all the little fires that pop up and I grab my axe and hose and put them out.
Sorry.... I'm tired. Just really tired. It's time for a break and to get out of the office. :D
@diplomaticconfucious thanks for all the great ideas!
Not sure where everyones from but very grateful for today being a holiday Monday - - sending positive vibes for you all to powe through it. Sometimes I feel like having an extra day off throws a wrench in my week, as I spent 10 hours on Friday when I only planned to go in for 4 hours so that my anxiety for Tuesday would be at ease with many important morning meetings.. not fully sure if its working quite yet so I am trying to redirect the panicky feeling Ill face tomo at 730 AM. But Im vouching on here that I was wake up at 515 AM tomo to ensure I have time to take my dog out for exercise before getting ready for work, as thats when I have the best & most regulated days - starting with exercise and fresh air. All the best on this Monday!
@soulsings Hi Soul! 
How are you? I hope you are having a great and productive Monday so far! 
How can you focus your energy on getting started this monday?
Well, since I barely rested this weekend and did not sleep well during the night, I decided to take a quick nap before getting to work so my mind feels more well-rested and functional.
What did you do previous Mondays that helped you get going and start your day on a positive note?
I usually ensure that I eat an enjoyable breakfast and make a to-do list for the day!
What can you do to help divert your attention from the bunch of thoughts that seem to slow you down or stop you from taking action?
I can redirect myself to the present by diverting my attention from such thoughts by paying attention to my senses at the moment, and taking a few minutes to just reflect on that, remind myself of what I need to accomplish for the day, and then continue working.
@SaimaK two things you mentioned that make a big difference to me is a good high protein breakfast and a nap in the afternoon. Glad you have things that help you.
@soulsings That is amazing! Naps always help big time! And thank you, Soul!
@soulsings
How can you focus your energy on getting started this monday? I started with an energy drink this morning, meditated and continued learning
What can you do to help divert your attention from the bunch of thoughts that seem to slow you down or stop you from taking action? Grounding, if required, otherwise i will put on any kind of energizing music which uplifts my mood
@amiablePeace77 thanks for sharing your Monday tips for getting going.
