To perforate your day with mini-pauses

Cakes No. 1 by Wayne Thiebaud link to AIC

From The Not So Big Life

 Your Turn

If you slow down your body but find that your mind is still racing, you may want to implement the following practice. It is a way to perforate your day with mini-pauses that remind you of what's going on beneath the story line of your waking dream. It works the same way as a fifteen-minute break from work, but these breaks are shorter and more frequent. Here's the practice: Every fifteen minutes, take ten seconds to pause and notice what is happening in your body and your mind.

You'll need a timer with a repeat function to alert you to the fifteen-minute intervals. There are all sorts of watches and vibrating clocks available in the marketplace these days; a number of them are featured on the Not So Big Life website. You can even use an egg timer in a pinch, though if you are around others much of the day, it might drive them crazy in short order, so the silent variety of reminder is preferable.

Although this exercise sounds simple, its effects can be profound because it will bring you into the moment over and over again. If you'd like to learn more about its uses and potentials, look for the detailed description on the Not So Big Life website.