Inner Work

For the week of May 6, 2007

One Thing at a Time

In a multitasking society, simplifying is radical. Rather than do two things at once in an attempt to cram more into our limited time, we fully engage ourselves in one thing. If it’s worth doing at all, then it’s worth doing with the whole ourselves.

Only the unnecessary can be a true waste of time. If the action is necessary, but somehow undesirable, then doing it with full attention makes it less undesirable for several reasons. First, full attention connects the task with our inner work and helps build our presence and our soul. Second, full attention enriches any experience. And third, full attention puts more quality into what we do. The same applies to the unnecessary but desirable, like entertainments: full attention makes those even more enjoyable.

Along with full attention, we practice full intention: intending to do the action as we do it and being the one doing it. In this way we own what we do, we take responsibility for it. “I choose to do this and I am doing it.” By such full intention, we avoid half-doing things and avoid the resentment that comes with doing what we must but would rather not do.

Another dimension to this issue arises when we feel overwhelmed by how much we need to do. As we do one thing, we fret about all the other things crowding our agenda. By inwardly slowing down to focus on the task at hand, we usually get it done quicker and better than when we’re rushed and distracted by thoughts about other tasks. Rushing costs us our center. In rushing toward the future, we leave ourselves behind.

But even if our plate is not overfull, to actually do one thing at any given moment does require a clear intention and a focused attention. Distracting thoughts, impulses, and sensory impressions continually vie for our attention. It proves impossible to block all that out. Instead we focus on our chosen task, while letting all the irrelevant and pseudo-relevant items in our stream of awareness pass by. By relaxing into such letting go, the would-be distractions cannot hook us. We stay here in this moment, doing what we do.

So we have these two main aspects of doing one thing a time. First, we choose one thing to do. Second, we do it, while focusing on it, intending it, remaining with it, and staying free of the irregular but continuing flow of distractions. Being in contact with our body and being in presence make it possible truly to do one thing at a time. These practices offer a more stable platform in the present, a place to stand and withstand the stream of sensory impressions, a place from which to focus on our task.

For this week, practice doing just one thing at a time and staying fully engaged in it.

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