Are you in a Hurry?

Are you in a hurry, if so for what? During my sabbatical I realised I was often in a hurry for things that I had made into a pressure which didn’t need to be so. My desire to achieve, to do great work, complete the long list of tasks meant often setting crazy timescales and demands upon myself and others.
 
Now don’t get me wrong, I still expect to achieve and do great work – especially for clients but also for those who support me and the Tricordant team. What I recognise is that I can do this but be in less of a hurry by cutting out certain lower priority items – even as I write this, I recognise a fundamental flaw, that of making ‘priority’ into plural which is part of the root cause of hurry. Think about it!

In case you missed last week’s 1 Minute Read I am reflecting on the impact that the book ‘Ruthless Elimination of Hurry’ had on me during my recent sabbatical. The book covers four main practices:

• Day of rest
• Silence and solitude
• Simplify
• Slowing

For those of you who did read last week’s musings, have you reflected on where you are with these four points? If not, then I encourage you to do so.

Let me tell you a little more about the impact it had on me and what has changed in my approach to life and work. I want to start this week with SLOWING.

In this book, Comer mentions driving in a car and the challenge of not breaking speed limits. But he goes further by challenging readers as to why they even need to be going anywhere near the limit (please though don’t be one of those annoying people who drive at 40 irrespective of the speed limit – that brings out other emotions in me). The point is can we enjoy the journey, any journey? This is closely linked to the practice of mindfulness, just slowing down, and taking time to enjoy and experience the places we are in and the scenery around us, the people we are with, the food we are eating etc. It helps develop the ability to be present in every situation.

As with all four of the practices I am starting on the journey and as this one was the first to impact me it is the one with the greatest significance. What have I been doing? Well, I have been driving slower, I have been working on being more present and especially on listening. When out walking I still walk quickly for exercise but also go for slower walks to exercise my spirit rather than body, to pay attention to wildlife, and to talk with whoever is with me.

In my work, I try hard to avoid back-to-back meetings with no space between to think, reflect, and create space for what is next, to not be on a hamster wheel.
 
I realise that much of what I am saying is what we instinctively all already know, but just like my friends who all read the book before me and did nothing about it, do we do the thing we instinctively know we need to do? Let me leave you to ponder that thought this week.