How to stay focused: part 1
✨ You know that feeling when you’re on your yoga mat and you just can’t seem to focus? ✨
Today I spent my whole practice mentally writing emails and going through to-do lists. I was totally in my head – not in my body!
It’s frustrating when the mind wanders and for a moment I got annoyed with myself. “I should know better! I’ve done this for 27 (!) years!” But then I felt self-compassion. Because you know what? We all have days like that – and it’s completely normal! We’re all human, and our minds love to wander!
Here are a few things I find helpful to regain focus during yoga:
1. Notebook!
My mind is so active – so I usually practice with a notebook next to me. If I get entangled in a thought – I write it down – and then it’s A LOT easier to let it be for now. (I do the same thing before going to sleep at night.)
2. Phone in another room…
Just putting it on flight mode doesn’t really work for me: I can still feel my attention being drawn towards it… I read somewhere that it’s actually a thing: just SEEING our phone often distracts us – even if it’s switched off! This video was filmed with my second phone, which hasn’t got any apps on it so it’s super boring 😉 so I use this one whenever I want a break from social media etc. Having two phone numbers has made a HUGE difference for me! (My family can still reach me when I use this one.)
3. Breathe
Of course, I’ll say breathe – I’m a yoga teacher 😉 But jokes aside – really giving myself some time at the start of the practice to connect with my breath and tune in to a rhythm helps a lot.
4. Let go of perfectionism
I practice because I enjoy it (and to stay sane…) 🙂 I don’t feel super comfortable with posting this video (see link below) because I don’t look perfect and I didn’t plan to film it at all – but again: I’m here to be real, not perfect!
So today I felt tired, distracted, and not motivated at all – but at least I did SOMETHING! And that’s what matters! I did 10 minutes of movement – and even such a short period of time makes a difference! I have a favourite 10-minute sequence which I often do when I feel resistance (not this one, this was just some random stuff). Maybe I can film it sometime and share it with you? Would that be helpful?
So, if your yoga session didn’t go as planned today, remember: it wasn’t a waste of time. Doing something is better than doing nothing. Keep showing up, even if it’s a short practice, and invite self-compassion and softness. You’re doing great!
Coming up next month: part 2: How to stay focused when you do admin or study.
Much Love,
Jennie
The photo is a screenshot from a video: see the full video on Instagram/Facebook, links below.