Mindful Eating Part 2

Here I am, typing a post about mindful eating while snacking on a bowl of cherries! (They're delicious) Even though I am not in a rush today, I simply cannot separate eating from other activities. I took some time earlier today to reflect on why I tend to eat and work in front of the computer. I think that one reason is that eating by yourself (I'm home alone) can seem lonely at first. This morning I ate breakfast (mindfully) and although I was sitting alone at the kitchen table, I realized that there were birds chirping right outside my window to keep me company. The more I sat and listened, the less lonely I felt.

The other reason is that I feel more productive when I do two things at once. For example, I empty the dishwasher and talk to my sister on the phone, or I listen to a lecture at school and do my homework on the computer. This multi-tasking skill can come in handy, especially at work when the phone is ringing, emails need to be answered, and there are 3 people asking you questions. However, it is impossible to do your best work when you are distracted. I may get more items crossed off of my to-do list when I multi-task, but I definitely don't get the satisfaction of a job well done. I usually leave work worrying that I misspelled words in an email, or gave someone incorrect instructions. It's true that I was able to handle all of the requests at once, and most of the time I don't make mistakes. But I don't feel confident that the work was my best. This can be true of eating too. By rushing and multi-tasking, your body forgets to enjoy the food. Perhaps this is why fast-food tastes good. We get it in our cars and eat it on the way home. There are too many distractions (traffic, kids, radio) to even taste or enjoy the food we put in our mouths.