I had an experience in 2017. On the 30th October. On a warm, sunny California beach. No phone. No watch. No cash. No cards. No keys. No cares. No alcohol. Dressed in a T-shirt, swim shorts and flip-flops. Carefree like a kid - I was where I was supposed to be. No deadline, no list of (other) things to do, nowhere else to be, nobody else to be with. I sat talking with, and listening and learning from, my surf coach and his boss for 3-4 hours.
Totally “in the room”.
One of my happiest adult days ever.
Somebody called me busy today… busy something… It struck me - a sharp reminder - that this should be normal, that I should be busy all the time … busy at what I am doing right now.
I call it in being in the room.
I intend to be better at being busier… busy at something all the time from now on …whether it’s being busy doing nothing, being busy watching a film, being busy speaking with a friend, being busy on holiday, being busy on a call or a Zoom call, being busy texting a friend, being busy composing an email, being busy making love, being busy doing or playing sport, being busy eating, being busy writing, being busy cooking, being busy sleeping … being busy resting.
I have always understood this in my head but been spectacularly crap at the reality. It’s my fault that there are very few things - part from coaching - that I do in a dedicated, busy, way.
One of the few things that I do do busily, with claimed total focus, is having a shower… it is at least digitally free. But weirdly (or perhaps not…) that’s where my brain is often the most productive - along with walking, running, swimming - that’s where I think, that’s where thoughts are spawned and grow and congeal and gel and develop and crystallise and solidify … because I am busy, because I’m not multitasking because I am thinking analogue, undisturbed by digital intrusions, my brain is free and has range and scope and time and permission and a clean desk to write and think and articulate…
I intend to work harder at focusing on being busy for the next year, and decade… work harder at being busy at everything I do by only doing one thing at a time and being busy doing it.