Last Wednesday was dubbed “Back to the future day.” October 21st 2015 was the future date which was featured in the 1985 science fiction film Back to the future starring Michael J Fox and Christopher Lloyd.

In the film, Marty Mcfly (Michael J Fox) meets up with his scientist friend Emmett “Doc” Brown (Christopher Lloyd) who unveils a time machine built from a modified De Lorean sports car and powered by plutonium from Libya.

Its core component, a flux capacitor made time travel possible! Marty gets transported back to 1955 and he has to find a way back to 1985.

I remember seeing the film back in 1985 and I can recall thinking at the time that the featured 2015 date was a long way in the future and in another century!

When I reflected on this point this week, it struck me that those 30 years have passed by so quickly. I am sure that life has speeded up!

It is a gentle reminder of the importance to really engage with the present moment.

Modern life is demanding, has got busier and the world is changing at a faster rate than any other time in history due largely to the development of technology.

We have access to more information, sources of entertainment and distraction than any other generation. We live in an information rich and time poor world.

What also occurred to me was that our brains have the ability just like the flux capacitor to travel through time. Our brains transport us to the past and take us into the future but in doing so, we may not fully engage with the present moment and the task or person in front of us.

It is easy to get too in our heads and over think things and not be present with what we are doing or where we are. When we have greater engagement with the present moment, we are more productive and complete tasks in a state of flow, listen more effectively and as a result have a better connection and relationship with others. Quieting our minds enables us to feel a greater sense of calm.

Many clients tell me that they feel like they spend too much time locked in their heads and in doing so feel a sense of overwhelm and anxiety. It is easy to fall into the trap of trying to do too many things and thinking about too many issues all at once.

Sometimes less is more. Many people have told me over the years that they always seem to perform better when they have less on their minds

In addition to thinking about things like what to eat, the holiday we need to arrange, we can spend time thinking about the meeting we’ve just attended, our next meeting, the number of unanswered e mails, how to solve a particular challenge or for those with children, focus on their schedules and logistics. The more time we spend locked in our heads can lead us to feel less satisfied with life.

By quieting our mind and focusing on the now, we can feel happier and in control.

A few strategies that I suggest to clients to quieten their minds are:-

  • Work on focusing on one task at a time. Set time limits and be assertive when it comes to interruptions.
  • Turn off email and social media notifications. Dedicate specific times to check and deal with e mail
  • If you do lots of work at a pc – take a 5 or 10 minute break regularly. Get up, stretch and walk around.
  • Use a breathing exercise to quieten the mind and become more centred. Take a deep breath into the stomach to the count of 7, release it to a count of 7. Repeat this twice.

This week, why not take a few minutes to consider how much time you spend locked in your head compared with time spent in the present moment. Is there any action you need to take to be in the “now” more often?

This week’s quotation:-

“With the past, I have nothing to do; nor with the future. I live now. Ralph Waldo Emerson

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk