Bike Riding, playing a musical instrument, driving, or your favorite activity, ever suddenly realize hours have swept by and you can’t believe how long you have been doing what you were doing? While calm and relaxed in the moment I am energized when I realize how much time has gone by when experiencing this contemplative play state. As Bill Murray said: "The more relaxed you are, the better you are at everything: the better you are with your loved ones, the better you are with your enemies, the better you are at your job, the better you are with yourself." How can we have it all? What if we use Contemplative Practices and Play to accomplish our work? “Contemplation is simply being fully present—in heart, mind, and body—to what is in a way that allows you to creatively respond and work toward what could be.” Richard Rohr A Contemplative practice is one where we are completely absorbed in the task at hand and time zooms. We spend so much of our life working. What if we picked just one project and turned it into a Contemplative Project that was included play?! bring contemplative practices, play and fun, into work?
6 Steps to a Contemplative Project + Play 1. Choose a project you are doing solo that has a clear beginning and end -perhaps a smaller project
2. Consider a project that can be broken into steps or stages yet is not overwhelming. Break it into steps- this way you can stop along the way and make it more fun, accomplishable and easy. For example: Organizing your desk, cleaning your office, a short writing assignment, purging your inbox
3. Add an element of play… Time yourself, Offer yourself small rewards along the way, Ex. A stretch break, a snack, a quick phone call, 2-minute social media break…
4. Before starting, Make an intention: (I am going to finish the first step or I will only focus on this task for 30 minutes I will allow myself to just focus on this project. I will remain calm and breathe)
5. When you finish, stop or if you have set a timer to only work on one step of a project decide what you will do next, set another timer or schedule time to finish the project later. Make sure you give yourself a nice reward.
6. Congratulations! You have completed the process of a Contemplative Project + Play.
Start small, Set yourself up for success: Even 1-10 minute Contemplative project + Play can have good results.
Questions? I am here for you. Let me know how it goes.
Comments