Finding Time
Maximizing Learning
What’s the scope of your practicing? Is it time? Do you judge it by the milestones you reach?
In this Zoom world, I do not have enough time to “practice,” and I admit, I am dreading the return of a more normal life knowing it means adding commuting time back into the lists of things I want to do and need to do.
If I simply settled for this, I would be continually frustrated by the scarcity of time and the overwhelming demands for that precious time. Alas, I am not succumbing to scarcity, instead, I am looking for ways to maximize all of my time so that when my flute is in hand, I am ready.
The pandemic turned my world upside down, and allowed me to figure out how to navigate time, my learning, playing, and life in the most amazing way. What I discovered is that time is not scarce it is how you use it that maximizes it or allows it to slip away.
Playing the flute, and making music is all about movement. When I am not with my flute, how much do I move? Aha moment, everything I do is movement. The way I sit and write this post, to doing laundry, walking my dog, cooking, or even walking (QM-ing) up the stairs, it’s all movement.
What other things do I need to practice? Being under pressure and performing. How can I replicate this? Parkour. In parkour, being scared and or distracted could mean a ‘shinjury.’ Perfect! Parkour immerses me in the learning process, puts me under social and physical pressure, a beautiful combination.
I have learned to organize my days around movement. This includes a movement practice, I used to call it exercise, but that is boring I want practical movement development and I want to have FUN! Every day at noon I meet with friends to move. I run around my yard, climb on the swings set, and climb up the outside of the deck to ‘practice movement.’ Then there are the more normal things, walking my dog, cleaning the kitchen, sitting and reading or writing - all are opportunities to practice.
What opportunities are you missing in your day? Could you use your walk from house to car or through the grocery store as an opportunity to be aware? To cultivate inclusive awareness? Or could you use sitting down and standing up from your desk chair or your couch as an opportunity to get to know the cooperative nature of your leg joints?
Step back and become an observer of your day. Harness the opportunities as they present themselves to learn in nearly every moment. You CAN learn valuable information when you are not officially practicing. As the world slowly begins to open up, you can get ready for the return of crazy schedules, traffic, and demands on your valuable time by tuning into yourself now. Seizing every opportunity to be awake and alive in the moment, just like you want to be as you practice and perform.
Be curious, opportunity is unlimited…