One moment we’re chanting and the next, 

we’re not.

It’s not surprising. After all, we’re used to multitasking. And so, as soon as our mind sets into motion the chant of “Amituofo, Amituofo . . . ” it zooms away to plan the next meal or write another FaceBook post. A solution? Count as we chant! We might count once per word. Or on every in-breath and then again on the out-breath. Or once on a combined inhale and exhale. 

Just like the speed of our chanting, we can see what method works best for us.

How do we combine counting with chanting? We can try to hold both thoughts in our mind, weaving them together like coiled rope. Or we can chant while visualizing the number, layering it on top of the chant. The objective is to hold both the chant and the number in our mind—without losing awareness of either one—until we reach our pre-determined number. What if we lose track of the number. Start over again at once!

The thought of which will greatly enhance our focus.

From Rage to Forgiveness: What Lies Between (Part Seventeen)

We need more than just a

To-Do List.

To-Do lists are so wonderful—think of something to be done, pull up the list app or get that notebook, and enter the new task. Now we won’t forget! All we need to do is to complete it. But here’s where things get tricky. We’re more skilled at adding to our list than checking items off.

A solution?

How about a second list—a Not-To-Do-Yet list.

What would we put on it? All those time wasters we indulge in: binge-watching shows on Netflix; checking social media and email; chatting with coworkers; shopping across town or online. Too easily do these fill up our day, where we squander away precious time needed for the essentials.

But by using the two lists, we’ll find the time for things on both. In adding our time-wasters to the Not-To-Do-Yet list, we’re not saying we’ll never do them again. Just not right now. First, we’ll do some of those To-Do tasks in our newly carved out time.

Then, feeling good about our accomplishments, we can take a short, predetermined break for non-essential things.