A note from Sean
A lot of boredom comes from feeling that nothing interesting is happening. The more we open to what is actually happening, the more nuance we notice. I’ve come to think that being mindful and being bored don’t mix much.
Try this today. Pick one chore today, like sweeping or wiping a counter. Keep your eyes open and your hands busy. For the first two minutes, feel only the cloth or broom in your hand and your feet on the floor. When your mind jumps ahead, say “left, right” with each stroke and keep going.
Keep going: Mindfulness of Doing the Dishes and Mindful Cooking.
This suits anyone who dreads chores or does them on autopilot. If your back or hands hurt, or a room carries a loss for you, go gently. Stop when you need to.
Here’s a Sample of the “Mindful Cleaning” Guided Meditation Script:
Like doing dishes, cleaning grants us the time to step back from our active days and rest in present-time awareness. Instead of focusing on the task itself or how you feel about it (most of us are usually not that excited to clean the house),use this time as a chance to take care of yourself andencourage the habit of mindfulness.In this exercise, we will use the activity of sweeping. However, you can practice mindful cleaning while dusting, mopping, wiping down a counter, or doing any other household chore. Start your practice when you are gathering your cleaning supplies.
Walking to get the broom, feel the feet moving across the floor. Pay attention to the feeling of moving through space toward your supplies. Picking up the broom, bring awareness to the sense of touch.
If the mind begins wandering into the future and the task at hand, bring yourself back to the body in the present moment. Sweeping is often repetitive, which can lead to a sense of boredom.To help stay in the present moment, try using a mantra. You can use a simple noting phrase, like “Left, right,” or a phrase of loving-kindness, such as“May I live with ease.”
