Training your mind

Training your Mind for the Task at Hand

I was up as usual early this morning chopping some vegetables and meat for the lunch that I had to pack for my kids. Today, my mind was not on the task at hand, it was wandering all over the place as I was worried about someone. I am sure you guessed it. Yes, I cut myself finger real bad. Yelping in pain, I also discovered that all my work had come to naught, as there was blood all over the chopping board. This meant that I had to start all over again. It was not only a waste of time and resources, but it also caused me quiet a bit of pain that even as I type this post, I am in considerable pain. 

Training your mind to be on the job at hand is an absolute necessity, whether you do the job routinely or do something that calls for attention to detail. Mistakes could cost you, your job itself or may cause an accident or waste of precious resources, but most of all may be a complete waste of time as you may have to retrace your steps and work through it all over again. You need to learn to train your mind to stay focused on the job at hand.

How to train my mind to stay on the task at hand?

Here are a few easy tips.

Do not let worry or anxiety fill your mind.

Before you start work, spend a few minutes to clear your mind of nagging worries or problems. Tell yourself worrying over something will not solve the problem. 

Promise yourself that you will attend to it when you have the time, if it is possible for you do do something about it. If not leave it.

Having done it, tell yourself I have done my part and try to enjoy what you do.

Excitement of any kind needs to be contained. A calm mind works more accurately and with a higher level of concentration than a mind that is jumping places. 

Taking deep breaths, holding it in until you are ready to explode could help you calm down, do it several times if you have to.

When thoughts of worry or distraction keep coming back as they probably would, so make sure you fill your minds with the job at hand. 

Let us say while I am currently writing out this post my thoughts stray elsewhere, I have to remind myself of the points that need to go into this post. Think about what else could be added to help some one reading this. 

This exercise would help brings my thought back to the job at hand. 

Training you mind calls for alertness and action.

Being aware of the thoughts that float around in your mind and replacing them with the most urgent and important thoughts about the task you are currently doing help reduce floundering of concentration.

You need to steer your thoughts and correct their course, frequently until it becomes a habit with you. 

Imagine. Well imagination is a great tool. Imagine that the job you are doing is completed perfectly, imagine the details that go into it, imagine the praise, imagine the rewards, motivate yourself to work in a focused manner.

Daily reflections are a great way to get rid of unwanted thoughts and worries. At the end of the day think of all that you have accomplished. The efforts that you have put in and give yourself a pat on the back emotionally to make you feel comfortable. 

Before you begin your day make a list of all that you want to do that day and think about how you could go about doing them. This keeps your mind focused on the tasks at hand. 

The greatest joy is in making the things you do enjoyable even if they are not fun things to do. Use your imagination.

Hope you have a fruitful day.