Most of the time, we want to be present in the moment, and as much as possible. Why? Because when we are present, we are the most aware, engaged, connected, and capable, and free of worrisome thoughts about the past or the future. Often, when you find someone on their phone scrolling social media, they may not be truly connected to themselves, or to their environment. Time also passes by in a strange way when we are spending too much time focused on others. But I’m not going to talk right now about the parts of life that create harmful distractions and interfere with our ability to get the most out of our time. I want to talk about the good distractions.
As I sat on my couch this morning, my mind was ruminating about a stressful situation. It made me feel fidgety and anxious, worried and disconnected. For some background information, I never turn on the television unless it’s to watch a tennis match. However, in that exact moment, I thought to myself, “I have got to do something here to take my mind off of these worrisome thoughts.” So, I turned on the television and put on the Weather Channel.
As I learned about the upcoming rain and temperatures for the week, I felt myself relax a little bit more. Watching the tv was a distraction from the moment, but it was helpful in re-directing the focus of my thoughts from something stressful, to something neutral. Some other positive distractions for when we feel anxious may be:
Listening to music, watching a movie, cleaning out your coffee maker, doodling on a notepad, playing a game on your phone, or organizing the files on your computer. These activities may not be drawing you into the present moment in a way that mindfulness activities would, but they are a great way to feel some relief from agonizing thoughts and to tap into your mental capacity to find productivity and meaning in your day.
