Mindfulness-based Time Management

Overview of Week 3

• Introducing the Breath Clock
• Timeful Task : Breathing Mindfully
• Meditation : The Breath Clock
• Meditation : Mindful Breathing
• Meditation : The Inspirational Breath
• Timeful Task : Controlling Time

While it may sound on the surface to be a simple week, it is the fundamental way to control the perceived passage of time.

The Speed of Breath

Meditation : The Breath Clock

This immersive meditation allows you to experience the linkage between the subjectivity of time and the speed of the breath.

You can use the techniques here with your eyes open in 1-2-1 and 1-2-many situations.

Meditation : Mindful Breathing

This meditation explores the components of the breathing cycle – namely inspiration, expiration and the still points between the in and the out breaths.

You can use the practice towards the end of this meditation to tone up your tummy muscles without going to the gym!

Meditation : The Inspirational Breath

This meditation repeats some of the breathing techniques you have already practiced. In addition, it uses the breath to increase inspiration.

Have a note pad ready for any ideas that may come your way.

Timeful Task : Controlling Time

For the coming week, listen to at least one of the meditations each day. In addition, be mindful of any opportunities to use the techniques in practical situations.

For example:

1. If you are late for a meeting, slow the breath down and notice how the delay shortens or disappears

2. If you are working 1-2-1 with an open-minded client, get them to breath slowly with you at the start of the meeting

3. In a meeting with many people, be mindful of the speed at which people are breathing. Either notice the rise and fall of their belly or chest (without staring obviously) or pay attention to the speed at which they talk. Note people only speak on an out breath.

4. In such a meeting, slow your breathing down and, if you speak, speak slowly. Be mindful how this slows others down too as a result.

5. If you have a creative task, or a deadline this week where you have to come up with an idea, use the Inspirational Breath meditation to conjure it into your world.

Key Learnings

• Our breath does more than just keep us alive
• There are three phases to the process of respiration
• The breath powers inspiration and conjures up ideas
• If we slow down breathing, time expands