Enemies of mindfulness

DeAnna Willman Photo by e-j @unsplash

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every hinderance and sin which clings so closely and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1

Last time we were together we discussed mindfulness and what it really means. We also touched on the fact that it takes strengthening the right hemisphere of the brain in order to practice mindfulness. How did you do with practicing mindfulness over the time since we were last together? What did you experience when you worked at being in the moment? Was it difficult? Was it easy? How did you progress as you practiced each day? How did it impact your thinking? Your relationships?

God created our brains for mindfulness. There are things that can help our brains and improve our mindfulness, but there are also things that can harm our brains and make mindfulness even more difficult. Today we will begin discussing enemies of mindfulness. Now, be forewarned. Some of you may become “offended” due to some of what is mentioned. If you find yourself in that category, ask yourself if being offended was actually God’s spirit convicting you of something that needs to be changed in your life. I, too, had to work on some of these things.

The first one we will discuss is multitasking. I know that most people, especially women, believe that they can multitask. That is a myth. The brain was created to deal with one thing at a time. Brain scans have revealed that when we are trying to do more than one thing that requires any thinking, we are attempting to force our brains to do something they were not created to do. I’m not talking about walking, talking, and chewing gum at the same time. No, that is mostly muscle memory and very little thinking is required in the walking and chewing, so the brain is only needed for the conversation. It can successfully handle that task. I’m also not thinking about when you sing in the shower while bathing yourself. Again, mostly muscle memory.

I’m talking about those times when someone is trying to drive and talk/text on the phone at the same time; working on the computer while “listening” to someone talk to you; watching a ball game while doing homework/project; cooking supper while helping a child or spouse with a need; checking your notifications while having a conversation with someone; etc. You know what I’m talking about. And every one of us is guilty of abusing our poor brains in this way. The brain was not created to concentrate on the road, other drivers, predicting what will occur around you, and necessary responses to what is happening in real time while also texting/talking on the phone. That is two different things for which mindfulness is needed, and the mind and brain are not able to do both at the same time successfully. One activity or the other will suffer. As will your brain when you continue to make your brain attempt to do what it was not created to do. Choosing to focus on one activity at a time will strengthen and support your brain, as well as improve your ability to be mindful. Trying to focus on more than one activity at a time harms the brain. It prevents the mind from processing the moment, thought, situation, and emotions. It leads to poor quality in work, decisions, and judgment. Discernment becomes weak. Multitasking is a passive state of mind, similar to watching a movie. It is not interactive or intentional. This habit causes a level of brain damage in the frontal cortex of the brain that leads to symptoms of impulsiveness, inability to focus on something for very long, being easily distracted (Oh look! A squirrel!) and is often treated with neurotropic drugs that further damage the brain. Scientific brain scans have shown the damage inflicted by this popular habit. No amount of nutrition (and no drug) will prevent the damage to the brain if one regularly continues to attempt multitasking. Again, this is proven by brain scans.

The second habit that physically harms the brain is busyness. I know that it seems to be a status symbol in our society; the busier you are, the greater your status. When I was growing up, being busy meant that we went to church three times that week, dad had worked his regular shifts all week, mom had cared for the house and us kids, and we kids had gone to school. Those hours outside of school were filled with time. Time to play, read, explore, hang out with friends, visit the neighbors, and even participate in a hobby/activity at some point. My mom often spent time with her friends, and my parents regularly had people over for supper. When I first started homeschooling our kids, we felt sorry for the kids going to school for they were always busy. They never had time to simply be a kid/family. They were “on the go” from before the sun came up to long after it went down. They were always going from one activity to another, even eating on the run.

Today, it is very rare to find anyone who isn’t packing their 24 hours a day with 48 hours’ worth of activities. People, even little kids, are stressed from all the activity in their lives. Do you know how many children are experiencing stress related health issues that were never before seen in children until the past two decades?

There are very few family dinners shared around the table at home; very little time for spontaneous play; no time to simply sit and imagine, create, or even become bored; very little ability to enjoy the moment; even less time to build relationships that matter. Many homeschoolers have started joking about really being “vanschoolers” because they are always on the go. We, as a society, even talk about needing vacations from our vacations! What a sad people we have become.

Jumping from one activity to another without time in between to debrief and process what was just finished, we fail to allow our brains to catch up with our activity. We hinder the brain’s ability to process and “take a breath”. It disrupts the natural function of the brain. Busyness often leads to chaotic thoughts and decisions which affect the chemicals and electromagnetic energy being washed across your brain and body. Busyness easily lends to negative thoughts which lead to negative results.

When are you taking time to breathe deep, relate with others face to face, and truly think through a thought? God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, nor His ways our ways. In every situation that we encounter, mindfulness is needed in order to hear from YHWH as to His desire regarding each situation, opportunity, decision, and activity. “Is this what YHWH wants for me? For my family? For His kingdom?” Busyness keeps us from asking these questions and hinders our hearing from God. Busyness and multitasking both over engage the left hemisphere of the brain while hindering and weakening the right hemisphere.

I know that I hit hard with a couple of things that most everyone practices on a daily basis. We have believed the lie that these two things are “normal” and even good. Some will even boast in their busyness or attempts at multitasking. It seems that we have been sold the lie that if we are not “doing” something, we are bad, not acceptable, not “producing” something with our time. I know that when I started to slow down and even say no to some things in my life, I struggled with having time in my day that wasn’t packed with an activity. I struggled against the lies that I had to be “busy” or I was wasting my time, or simply was somehow not acceptable to society or to our Creator. Yet, it was He who created the need for, and instructed us to rest. He created our brains to handle one thing at a time and to require time to process thoughts, emotions, events, words, and even relationships. He created the brain to thrive when given time to dream, imagine, create, and even work through boredom. This is being backed up by scientists and education “experts” who have found that a child learns best when given 20 minutes between subjects/lessons to debrief with play, creativity, a nap, or even daydreaming.

I was surprised and pleased a few months ago by my husband. He had been listening to another man tell him all the activities that were taking up his life and how busy he was. Due to all he was doing each day he was rarely at home with his family or in attendance with his local congregation. His litany of projects came across as a half complaint and half boast. My husband listened till the man was finished, then he said, “Brother, I do not celebrate that (busyness) in you.” WOW! He hit the nail on the head! The bible tells us to spur one another on to love and good works and for each of us to rid ourselves of all that hinders our ability to run with endurance the race set before us. My husband called out a fellow brother who was hindered by busyness from truly being present with his family, from being more available for serving in the local congregation, from even getting a good night’s sleep. It is affecting his energy and health. The man is burning the candle at both ends and his endurance will not last, let alone allow him to serve well in the kingdom of God.

Yeshua told us that God looked for fruitfulness from us, not productivity or busyness. Let’s start encouraging one another to operate at the speed God created us to operate, to do what is healthy and best for our brains, minds, and bodies. Let’s shed those things that hinder us from doing and being what is truly important; that look productive but fail to bring forth fruitfulness. Let’s stop allowing our relationships, health, children, congregations, brains, minds, and bodies suffer because of a couple of bad habits that are encouraged and modeled by society. God instructed us to rest and even to “Be still, and know I am God.” When was the last time you were still for more than a minute or two? When was the last time you were still long enough to intimately relate with your Father God?

This week take notice of where/when you are attempting to multitask. Take note of all the busyness in your life. How are these two habits hindering your relationships, health, work, and hearing from God? What would be different if you weren’t spending so much time in multi-tasking and busy-ness? What will you do this week to “lay aside every hinderance and sin which clings so closely” in order that you may run with endurance? Where can you focus less on “productivity” and more on fruitfulness? Where will you practice mindfulness?

Until next time…

For in six days YHWH made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day. Therefore, YHWH blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Exodus 20:11

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10