This morning I woke up with the intention of going for a
run. My English class was not meeting
this morning, so I put aside special time to get out and exercise on my own. I got out of my bed, put on my warmest
running clothes, and headed downstairs to face the freezing temperatures and
relentless wind. When I got outside the
lobby door, I realized I had forgotten my IPhone, which contains the music I
would normally listen to while running.
As frustrated as I was, I refused to go back upstairs, and decided to
start my run anyway. Before long, I was “monotasking”,
and I had no idea I was even doing it.
When I came
back from my run this morning, it was not until after my first class that I
read the assigned blog post for English class.
However, it did not take me long to realize that I didn’t even have to
attempt a “monotasking” activity because I had already performed one this
morning without even knowing it! Looking
back, running without my music playing was not as fun as running with
music. Without music to listen to, it was quite
difficult to eliminate distractions. Normally,
I would enjoy the playlist I put together instead of thinking about how
uncomfortable I am. But today, I was
constantly reminded of how much I hate running by hearing the sound of my own
wheezing and heavy footsteps on the concrete.
Not fun. Eventually, however, I was
able to clear my mind and focus. By
thinking more about my run, I was more aware of my pace and form, which did
help me in the long run. I wouldn’t say
I really enjoyed the experience (I never liked running to begin with), but it
was definitely a new experience. The
next time I run, I am definitely bringing my IPhone.
The idea of
“monotasking” is almost nonexistent in the world we currently live in. We are constantly checking our phones for
texts, emails, facebook updates, games, and much more. People are often so caught up in multitasking,
that it can compromise their safety. For
example, texting and driving: many states have passed laws banning this act,
and for good reasons. In some
situations, I think it is good for us to put the phone down and focus. Sometimes it may be good to “stop and smell
the roses” every once in a while…but maybe not while running.
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