I found this super useful, thank you so much! Relating the process of doing good work to mindfulness meditation clicks for me, and I’ll be trying it. Gently putting attention back on-topic and practicing noticing when it’s strayed is mindfulness, and it’s addressing a key challenge in getting good work done. Treating the rest of the challenges in doing research as opportunities for learning about yourself and growing- if you pay attention to them—also makes sense.
I’m a bit suspicious of meditation as an end in itself. But getting better at research (or relationships, another suggested focus for mindfulness and growth) are worthy applications!
I wish I could attend the retreat; it would be good to really practice this attitude, and your offered rate is great. But the French Pyranees is a long expensive trip from where I’m at. So I’ll try applying my own system of habit modification to this goal, and let you know how it goes.
Thanks for the kind words! I’m quite passionate about this work—so hearing that it’s helpful means a lot.
Questioning mediation as an end in itself is a good point, yes – I view it as a good goal instrumentally (i.e., making it a goal in itself is a helpful attitude, not arguing that it “should” be the actual goal). I find normative questions much harder than instrumental ones and prefer to avoid them.
I found this super useful, thank you so much! Relating the process of doing good work to mindfulness meditation clicks for me, and I’ll be trying it. Gently putting attention back on-topic and practicing noticing when it’s strayed is mindfulness, and it’s addressing a key challenge in getting good work done. Treating the rest of the challenges in doing research as opportunities for learning about yourself and growing- if you pay attention to them—also makes sense.
I’m a bit suspicious of meditation as an end in itself. But getting better at research (or relationships, another suggested focus for mindfulness and growth) are worthy applications!
I wish I could attend the retreat; it would be good to really practice this attitude, and your offered rate is great. But the French Pyranees is a long expensive trip from where I’m at. So I’ll try applying my own system of habit modification to this goal, and let you know how it goes.
Thanks for the kind words! I’m quite passionate about this work—so hearing that it’s helpful means a lot.
Questioning mediation as an end in itself is a good point, yes – I view it as a good goal instrumentally (i.e., making it a goal in itself is a helpful attitude, not arguing that it “should” be the actual goal). I find normative questions much harder than instrumental ones and prefer to avoid them.