Relaxed yet Attentive – an energizing state of efficiency
Apart from restoring us to ‘ground zero’ and the relaxed yet attentive state that it puts us in, mindfulness increases our efficiency. Whether it’s the simplest, most mundane (aka ‘mindless’!) activities like unscrewing the lid of a jar or tapping the desired key on your keyboard or something that requires much greater cognitive and emotional investment such as responding to a difficult situation, being mindful can make a staggering difference to your efficiency.
Today, for instance, as I was unscrewing the lid of a jar, I noticed how much less effort and movement/repetition I required. Typically, I would mindlessly set to twist the lid several times before it fully unlocked from the jar. Today, I allowed myself to be fully present, aware of my intention to open the jar, feeling the jar in my hands, feeling the pressure I was putting on the jar with my right hand, and then, slowly allowing just enough pressure to cause the lid to make one, just one, smooth turn. And off it came.
RESISTANCE INCREASES EFFORT AND LOWERS EFFICIENCY
In Physics, efficiency is defined by the amount of work done per unit of energy. The more work done per unit, the greater the efficiency. Or the less energy expended for the same amount of work done, the more efficient.
Now, work itself is a measure of the amount of displacement (movement) of an object caused by a unit of force. Even if you never studied or understood Physics, I’m sure you can appreciate that the more resistance there is , the more force will be required to overcome that resistance.
Sliding on ice is a lot easier than sliding on concrete. (People in Spain are currently noticing this a lot in the unexpected extreme cold weather!). Why? Because ice offers much less resistance than concrete. So, the less resistance there is, the less force is required, the less energy is used and the more work is done. Meaning, the more efficient you or any other system of work becomes.
One of the immediate outcomes of mindfulness is a drop in resistance. By maintaining a relaxed attentiveness, most of the resistance that is habitually in place (or quickly summoned by our conditioned mind-body) as we go about our routine or complex activities is reduced.
Less resistance means more cognitive, creative space
Here are just some of the ways in which efficiency, rather than effort, resulted from my mindfulness while opening a jar:
- Not, as I would have through force of habit, expecting a small (almost imperceptible) degree of effort to open the jar, thereby reducing resistance
- Allowing a greater cognitive space for the intention of opening the jar
- Not attaching to the intention of opening the jar mindfully, thereby reducing resistance/blockage
- Allowing myself to be guided by a deep-seated knowing, confidence, assuredness thereby reducing the resistance of doubt
If you are mindful with little, everyday, habitual, mundane, mechanical things, you’ll notice how much unnecessary effort you’re putting into doing them (or avoiding them). Suddenly, you’ll find how you can do those same things with so much less effort, force, ‘energy’, ‘strength’ or ‘pressure’. You’ll enjoy the lightness and ease and grace with which you do them too.
Now, you can experience such ease and efficiency with other things and in other areas of your life – your work, your relationships and your health including the management of pain.
In future posts, I’ll look at each of these areas drawing on my own experiences and those of people whom I’ve mentored.
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