When I used to work as a workshop assistant and, later, as part of several different Youth Theatre companies around my home town, I remember thinking that adults really ought to spend more time learning from children.
The amazing thing about children is the way they prioritise their lives. To a four-year-old child the thing that matters more than anything else in the world is whatever they happen to be doing at any given moment.
Their play isn’t hampered by when they have to stop and go home. The tears that come when told they have to leave come and go in a matter of minutes. The time they spend with a parent is all-encompassing, as is the time they spend with their friends, siblings and others.
We all work busily on different ways to prioristise our days, to keep ahead of the curve and up-to-date on everything that’s going on around us, but maybe we should be more like children.
Instead of constantly worrying about what’s coming next, perhaps we should put more effort into being truly mindful of one thing at a time.
Try it yourself, see how much richer it makes your life and work.
Stop writing an email with Twitter open.
Stop pausing while you review documents to read the updates in your Facebook feed.
Stop thinking about what you need to do next or when you have to be up in the morning while you’re relaxing and cuddling on the sofa with your loved one(s).
Be present, be focussed and be four years old again. It’s remarkable when you make the effort.