If you’re like many people, this might sound familiar:

You check your phone for the time, notice a notification, then put your phone away. You still have no idea what time it is.

Or maybe this:

You’re having a conversation, and something comes up which neither of you know the answer to. You offer to look it up, only to be gently nudged a moment later, and realise that you got lost in your texts on the way.

We are distracted by our environment – especially our virtual environment – and jump from stimulus to stimulus, often barely registering what we’re doing along the way. We’re up against a barrage of flashes, buzzes, and pings which are literally designed to steal our attention away and fragment it throughout the day.

Our attention is a resource, it’s something we only have so much of to give. And the modern world is exhausting it.

Maintaining control of your attention has become a challenge – but it’s one that we can rise to. Meditative activities like floating help you train your attention and make it easier to shut off external stimuli, and replenish your attention reserves.

Enjoy your undivided attention for a change, and give yourself a float.

Keeping Mindfulness in Mind

Staying conscious of the current moment can be incredibly difficult. Our brains are constantly processing, learning, and planning things, and even dedicated meditators need to make an effort to shush their noisy minds. With all the distractions of the modern world, how can you learn to stay mindful for more than a moment?

Check out this new article to learn about the two major tenets of Mindful practices, and how floating offers you the perfect environment to strengthen your mindfulness muscles: Floating and Mindfulness.

Floating Pro-Tip: Use your mantra, calm your mind.

If you realise that your mind won’t quiet down while floating – consider using a breathing mantra. A mantra draws your mind’s attention while your body relaxes, and controlling your breathing rate is one of the easiest ways to become more aware of your internal state. You can even use gibberish as a mantra if you can’t think of anything in particular – and in a float tank you don’t have to worry about sounding silly, since there’s no one around to hear you anyway.

There’s no shame in acknowledging that your attention isn’t what it once was. You’re not alone there – our environment makes dwindling attention spans all too common – but that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything you can do about it. The first step towards making change is realising that change needs to be made.

Our attention is not down for the count, it’s just out of practice. And your next float is the perfect environment for cultivating that practice.

Best regards,
The Floathouse Team