A More Mindful Day Underway

After a couple of chaotic days I seem to be in a better place this morning, at least as far as my monkey mind is concerned.  I started early this morning and managed to clear a lot of ordinary chatter from my in-box, which, the business cycle willing, means I should be able to get some project work done today.  My meeting calendar is relatively light, which can make all of the difference.

For me, at work, it is often a daily struggle to stay focused.  Part of the problem is the high rate of interruption and the lack of clear guidance from my upper management.  Part of the problem is my reaction to those factors.  I can’t really control the first (though there are steps I can take to keep the rate of interruption down - mainly turn off my email and IM and not answer the phone on-demand), but I can control the second through meditation.  I just finished a nice little session of sitting meditation that has me nice, calm, and focused. This is the state that I like working in.  It is kind of tragic that the frantic business cycle keeps interrupting it.

I don’t seem to have had much of a personal life this week, mostly due to the demands of work.  Next week will be even more demanding, since I have to spend a couple of days on travel as well. In those few hours of personal time I have managed to read some in Orson Scott Card’s “Earth Afire”, which I have been enjoying.  I think Card is a very good story teller.  I actually carried my enlightened nuns book to work with me every day this week, but I have not had a chance to open it and read anything.  I am going to make it a point to give it a few minutes this morning here as I am getting set to slide into what I hope will be a very productive day.

TR is in the process of having new fixtures installed in her house, so I have been getting my virtual “new stuff” fix through her the last couple of days, which I have enjoyed.  I think one of the significant disadvantages of living in a rented place is you often cannot redecorate to your preferences.  That ability to redecorate is what sets the environment that you live in.  You can do certain things, but you can rarely get in and change the infrastructure.

Well, I’ve meditated, I’ve written, I’ve walked and I have managed to get some productive work out of the way today, so on that note, I think I will focus in on other tasks and see what else I can accomplish today.