This exercise demonstrates a fundamental challenge in time management—to stay in contact with one’s own agenda while participating with other agendas.

physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.

single point if we need to zero in on details, or we can see

When the alarm rings, you stop—just stop. Period. There’s more where that came from, so you might as well stop now. Then, move into the close-down,

Whatever we had in mind (consciously or subconsciously) isn’t what’s happening. Instead, it’s more difficult, overwhelming, or dull than we’d envisioned.

Still, we will have to stop and transition to something else at some point. How do we do that? Crossing over from the familiar to the unknown is not easy.

It’s helpful to remember that simple presence to these feelings— acknowledging them, not pushing them away—can help us move through them more easily. Acceptance is the key. This is the way things are at the moment.

Many of us, however, in our fast-paced, stimulusladen, demanding environment operate on empty.We’re chronically depleted, worn out, and weary.

When we’re about to cross into a new task, distressing emotions can arise. We feel ashamed that we haven’t already finished what we’re just beginning. Or we’re embarrassed to have done only a fraction of what we’d expected. Or we’re leaving familiar territory and have to figure out what’s next.