So the purpose of decluttering our homes is to remove what is unnecessary in our space so we can have more clarity and simplicity in our lives.
With mindfulness,
We can apply the same principles to the thoughts that are often cluttering our minds.
With our thoughts,
It isn't as easy as putting a few things in a box to donate,
But we can set an intention to let go of the thoughts that are not serving us in the present moment.
And oftentimes,
That can include work thoughts that pop up during our personal time or when we're trying to focus and do deep work.
If you're new here,
Hello,
Welcome.
My name is Amber.
I'm a consultant in the tech industry and a meditation teacher.
I am fascinated by the many ways that mindfulness can support us in our quest for work-life balance,
Especially as someone who works from home on a computer all day.
And it's a theme that I explore often in my meditations.
So if that sounds up your alley,
I hope you'll follow,
Subscribe,
And say hello in the comments below.
During this meditation,
We'll practice letting our thoughts come and go.
And before we get started,
You might find it helpful to have a pen and a paper nearby so that if a thought does pop up,
You can capture it quickly on your paper and then return to your practice.
So hit pause if you need to grab that now,
But otherwise come to a comfortable seated position.
You can have your eyes open or closed and take a few moments to settle into your practice.
Start to bring awareness to the quality of the mind as it is right now and paying close attention.
How does the mind feel?
Perhaps it feels quite crowded and cluttered.
Perhaps you can sense that there are tasks and projects all vying for your attention.
And for the next 10 minutes or so,
We'll practice setting them aside so we can be in the present moment.
Now bring attention to your breath,
The inhales and exhales,
Using the breath as a place to rest your attention.
Whenever your mind wanders and starts thinking about work stuff,
You know that you can always come back to your inhales and your exhales.
And decluttering your work thoughts doesn't mean completely shutting them out of your mind.
As you've probably experienced,
The more you try to suppress a thought,
Oftentimes the more persistent they become.
So instead of trying to resist the thoughts,
Allow them to pass by.
Or if it's an important thought that you don't want to forget,
You can take a moment to jot it down on your piece of paper.
And then with patience and without judgment,
Allowing that thought to pass through your mind.
And over time,
With lots of practice,
You'll notice that the thoughts start to slow down and become a little less chaotic,
Almost like you've caught up with your mental inbox.
And don't worry if it doesn't feel like this yet.
The important thing is consistently showing up to practice,
Continuing to rest your attention on the breath,
Observing as the inhales come and the exhales go.
And as we come to the end of this meditation,
Checking in again with the quality of the mind,
How does it feel?
Maybe there's a greater sense of clarity and a little more space in the mind.
Thank you so much for meditating with me today.
If you're someone who struggles to disengage from work,
Leave me a comment and let me know how this practice went for you.
I read and reply to all my comments.
Take good care and I'll see you again next time.
