making better decisions - 16. Making the decision using mindfulness to improve focus
Dealing with Difficult People
This email is one in a series on decision-making. The first one is an introduction to the series.
16. Making the decision using mindfulness to improve focus
For shorter-term decisions, when you're feeling clouded and your ability to make the selection feels inadequate, mindfulness activities can be helpful.
One of the memorable activities at an MBA residential was around mindfulness; our instructor held up a (sealed) bottle that contained both sand and water. Initially the sand was sitting comfortably at the bottom of the bottle, but then the bottle was shaken up.
Something like this
We were then taken through a simple breathing exercise, helping us to quiet our thoughts before heading into the next stage of the afternoon workshop. By the time the breathing exercise was finished, the sand in the jar had calmed and our thoughts had as well.
Especially in a decision where many variables need to be considered, bringing a calm mind to bear on the different options can make a big difference.
Have you ever taken the time to consider your mental state, and particularly how fast you're chasing different thoughts around before making a decision?