Except if your mind worked like that, you'd never be creative. To think you can focus on one thing is to ignore all the times you came up with a solution to a problem after ignoring it for a while and doing something else.
Who says creativity can't happen while you're washing dishes? Just because you're doing the dishes doesn't mean that ideas won't form in your head. Part of what mindfulness is about is letting thoughts drift through your mind: you're trying to be conscious of your thoughts and actions, not eliminate them.
And in any case, nobody says you have to focus all the time. But if you make no room for serendipity, serendipity will not occur.
Re:Things To Stop Doing In Your 20s
by vampirechicken on Thursday October 25, 2012 @10:41AM
(#4697802)
derleth just did.
> Who says creativity can't happen while you're washing dishes?
It can't if you actually focused 100% on washing dishes. Which is my point exactly, which you seem to be perfectly missing.
The whole concept of 'mindfulness' is contrary to serendipity. It is also, thankfully, contrary to how intelligent minds work.
This is a great point. It's exactly why I've never liked suggestions to "automate" chores, and I've never felt a huge need to use services like TaskRabbit. Too much of life is already dedicated to the pursuit of productivity. Going to the grocery store is one of those little tasks that gives you room to breathe. There's a relevant quote by Thich Nhat Hanh that I like a lot:
"While washing the dishes one should only be washing the dishes, which means that while washing the dishes one should be completely aware of the fact that one is washing the dishes. At first glance, that might seem a little silly: why put so much stress on a simple thing? But that's precisely the point. The fact that I am standing there and washing these bowls is a following my breath, conscious of my presence, and conscious of my thoughts and actions. There's no way I can be tossed around mindlessly like a bottle slapped here and there on the waves."
http://www.abuddhistlibrary.com/Buddhism/G%20-%20TNH/TNH/Fro...