Insomnia, Impatience And Wasted Time

WASTED TIME is actually FOUND TIME. Such fragments actually add up to a potentially productive total by the end of your week if you prepare ahead of time.

In ADVANCE select a couple of your favorite breathing exercises that don’t require a lot of movement. Actually, deep slow steady breathing will do or you could simply begin by counting your breaths.

Since there never seems to be enough time to practice mindful breathing, meditation or contemplation, planning ahead will help you do something useful during those unscheduled disruptions of your schedule. You will be taking charge of the situation and using your time wisely.

So when the bus is late, when the elevator is slow, when you are on “hold” for days, when you are stuck in gridlock, launch one of your pre-planned breathing exercises and be grateful for the luxury of that rare bit of found time.

Otherwise, you will trigger stress chemistry that squirts into your body and your time will be worse than wasted.

Be well. Breathe beautifully.

Bored? Not.

Boredom is an insult to both your intelligence and your body. Each moment passes once and will never ever come again. All the King’s horses and all the King’s men are powerless to call back a particular moment. Time (in spite of the song) is not stored in a bottle. It is spent. It is not stored.

Besides, boredom almost always turns to stress and stress almost always churns up a chemical storm in your blood stream and messes with your nervous system. Your breath becomes short, shallow and erratic. I wrote this while waiting and waiting and waiting for my husband to test a new bike at a sporting goods store (he fell off so it took a little longer than expected but he liked the bike).

PLAN AHEAD. Always carry a small notepad and pen. Pick two favorite breathing or relaxation exercises that you turn to automatically. Potential boredom often happens in a public place so I recommend breathing exercises that are effective but not especially demonstrative.

Watch someone who is obviously bored and impatient. They look like a tall four-year old.

Be well. Breathe beautifully.