This set of videos is from Chris’s “Transcending Procrastination” public talk at ProMatch, a California job seeking organization, in April 2010. The videos are a great introduction to the basic concepts in Chris’s book, Inner Productivity.
In this clip, Chris talks about how to develop a longer attention span, and thus get more done in a single sitting in your work, by practicing holding your attention on your breathing or an object:
Here, Chris talks about how being able to say no to requests is an important part of staying focused and motivated in our projects. Sometimes, this is about becoming able to be with the intense sensations that come up for us when we set a boundary:
In the next clip, Chris answers a question about dealing with job interview-related anxiety, discussing how useful it can be to find the place in your body where you’re feeling the nervousness or tension, and breathing into that place. This can be helpful for anxiety in other situations as well:
The following videos are excerpts from Chris’s “Transcending Procrastination” talk in July 2009 at EastWest Bookstore in Mountain View, CA.
In Part 1, Chris explains how he got into incorporating mindfulness practices into his job, and teaching that work to others:
In Part 2, Chris illustrates why it’s important to develop motivation and focus on the inside, in addition to having an organized workspace:
In Part 3, Chris discusses how we normally deal with disruptive thoughts and feelings that come up in our work — by pushing them away or running from them. Chris offers a healthier, less stressful option: allowing those inner experiences to be, just as they are, until they pass away:
In Part 4, Chris talks about how mindfulness practices can help us stimulate our creativity when we’re feeling mentally blocked:
In Part 5, Chris explains how getting accustomed to more silence in our lives can help our concentration and productivity in our work:
In Part 6, Chris explains how taking a step back and looking at the bigger reason why you’re doing the task you’re working on can be a great source of motivation and focus:
