| You learn many things in a Yoga class, such as: Living | | | | be prepared to have a backup plan. |
| in the present moment; but how can you put your | | | | Remember the Serenity Prayer: "God grant us the |
| Yoga into practice in today's hectic world? We learn | | | | serenity to accept the things we cannot change, |
| to meditate so the mind will stop multi-tasking, but once | | | | courage to change the things we can, and wisdom to |
| you leave the Yoga studio, or ashram, you have to | | | | know the difference." It goes without saying, that you |
| face the world again. | | | | will waste a lot of time and energy, if you don't know |
| So, how do you take the soothing effects of your | | | | the difference. |
| Yoga practice and apply them to the rest of your | | | | The next point to cover is when to multi-task. What is |
| day? Develop a system where you use your time | | | | this? You say, "This doesn't sound very Yogic." Yoga |
| wisely. This is the wisdom of time management, as | | | | refers to "unity" or "union," and we must exist in |
| applied to "real life." | | | | harmony with life as it is today. The mind naturally |
| We're not discussing a "catch phrase," or short-term | | | | multi-tasks so, let's make the most of our time. |
| solution, where a manager goes to a one-day | | | | In ancient times people multi-tasked, too. Why else |
| workshop on time management, and then comes back | | | | would people around the world practice meditation for |
| lecturing his, or her, staff, about their time management. | | | | thousands of years? Why else would the people of |
| The irony is that, most of the time, this type of | | | | India practice Yoga for over 5,000 years? Stress was |
| manager is aware of time management because he, | | | | one of many things our ancestors, and the ancient |
| or she, wastes plenty of time. This usually goes on until | | | | Yogis, have in common with us, and we know that |
| the next workshop, and then management will learn a | | | | stress is a killer. Most likely stress is linked to every |
| new catch phrase to tell the staff what they are doing | | | | ailment that connected to mankind. |
| wrong. | | | | True irony is when you consider planning time, and |
| What we are discussing is a lifestyle, and possibly a | | | | start to make excuses why you don't have time to |
| big change, just like the first time you visited a Yoga | | | | manage, or plan, your time wisely. If you like to watch |
| class. In a "nut shell," we have limited time on this earth | | | | television, you could do a little planning at the same |
| and we cannot afford to waste it thinking about future | | | | time. Ideally, it is best to be totally focused, thinking |
| worries, past regrets, fighting with loved ones, or | | | | clearly, and be in a quiet place when planning time. |
| leaving goals on hold. | | | | However, there are other forms of multi-tasking you |
| Most of us leave dreams, goals, relationships, and | | | | can do such as listening to an audio book in the car, |
| ambitions on the "back burner," while the daily routine | | | | using an exercise bike while watching television, and |
| of life goes by. No wonder people complain about the | | | | reading or listening to books while traveling. There are |
| monotony of daily tasks. Very often, we hear, "I don't | | | | a number of Yoga, and Yoga philosophy audio books, |
| have time to learn new skills, go to night school, | | | | available. |
| practice Yoga, or become a Yoga teacher." | | | | On the other hand, we know multi-tasking can go too |
| Remember when you were a child and life seemed to | | | | far. I will never forget commuting into Boston, stuck in |
| go by so slowly? You had time to play, watch | | | | traffic, and seeing a guy next to me reading a |
| television, listen to the radio, and lay around, without a | | | | newspaper on his steering wheel! Within the same |
| care in the world. Now, welcome to adulthood, life is | | | | month, I saw a motorist driving with a hamburger in |
| flying by at a rapid pace, and goals sometimes seem | | | | one hand, and a milk shake in the other, while driving |
| further away than ever before. | | | | through stop and go traffic on Interstate 95! |
| Your starting point is today. All you have to do is write | | | | We're not considering reckless multi-tasking, but |
| your list of tasks for tomorrow. This is commonly | | | | consider combining tasks that don't require 100% focus. |
| called a "to do list." You can post it on a piece of | | | | For example, you cannot focus entirely on an audio |
| paper, on your desktop, in your PDA, or anywhere you | | | | book while driving, and you may have to listen to it |
| will refer to it in a day. | | | | quite a few times before you mentally digest all the |
| To be honest, I put the piece of paper in my pocket | | | | material. |
| and refer to it during the day. Sometimes, the lesson | | | | For this very reason, you should not consider listening |
| plan for my next Yoga class can be found in my | | | | to, and concentrating on, meditation audio books, while |
| pocket, too. This is a reflection of my time line, and my | | | | driving your car or operating machinery. Yoga |
| generation, but my son would put it on his PDA. | | | | philosophy is one thing, but trying to listen to or practice |
| Whatever you choose is fine, as long as you refer to | | | | with a meditation audio book, while driving, is quite |
| it, and get something done. | | | | another. Therefore, be very careful about the safety |
| Notice, I did not say get everything done. Somehow, | | | | factors involved in multi-tasking. |
| life throws us curves and your "well laid" plans may not | | | | Another point to cover is logistics. When you consider |
| fit into the daily time frame. You learn this in your Yoga | | | | where you are going, always plan to avoid "back |
| practice too. It is absolutely necessary that all of us | | | | tracking." For example: If you are picking the kids up |
| accept change. These days, change occurs on a daily | | | | from school and have to get groceries, make it into a |
| basis, so there is no need to become tense about it. | | | | combined trip. If you make it into two trips, this is truly a |
| This explains why so many corporate fitness centers | | | | waste of time. Therefore, plan your trips, whether they |
| have Yoga, or meditation programs, for their | | | | are time spent in a car, riding a bike, or walking. |
| employees. | | | | Lastly, make time for family, friends, and loved ones. |
| Be prepared to make modifications to your plans or | | | | Unify your time for a balanced life. Life is not, "all work |
| "turn on a dime." Deadlines should be taken seriously, | | | | and no play," but life is not sitting around living the life of |
| but sometimes life gets in the way. There are times | | | | a "couch potato." Remember one of the best excuses |
| when the path you are on will have to be altered. So, | | | | for not attending a Yoga class: "I don't have the time. |