I’m no domestic goddess. Because of that, there’s usually a long list of things I would rather not do around the house. But recently, I’ve noticed that I have a newfound urge to clean and organize. Perhaps it is a welcome break from everything that is going on. Or, maybe it is the appeal of getting something completely done and the satisfaction that comes with that. But I think the primary reason is that I have incorporated these routine tasks into my daily mindfulness practice.

At the risk of stating the obvious, there’s a lot going on! It seems like we’re trying to stay calm, but at the same time we feel like we have to get prepared. Within this frantic planning, people are talking about “hunkering down” and creating binge lists for viewing. What really concerns me about our plans to physically distance ourselves, however, is that this may also lead to emotionally distancing ourselves from others. And, that has consequences…

We’ve all had quite a shock to our way of life this week. Long anticipated trips were cancelled, schools put on pause, being asked to work at home … the list goes on. We’re also being asked to change our daily habits in substantial ways. This is causing us to learn how to intentionally focus our attention on the present more than ever.