How do you deal with the temptation to look at the time remaining on your practice?

Fabulous Community
10 response(s)
Eric E.

Like anything tempting, you have the choice to do or not do the temptation. Take a pause in your mind acknowledge the temptation and decided if you will put it aside or if it is important to follow your desire. If you wish to not look at the time accept the desire and return to your breath. If the thought returns accept that it is back, that is not wrong to have thoughts and choose to put it aside. You may have to repeat this over and over again. If you decide to look accept that is your choice look and move on. I find returning to my breath and even repeating "this is my in breath" "this is my out breath" with each breath along with self-kindness usually helps persistent thoughts pass. Also, looking or not looking at the time is your choice, in fact staring at a second-hand tick by for minutes can be a form of mediation. There is no right or wrong way to mediate, only your way. Mediation is a practice for you, controlled by you, and ultimately designed by you. I wish for you happines , peace of heart, and the embodiment of love and kindness.

Ildiko Y.

I’m not sure what you mean. But if you mean during a habit, I usually don’t need to look at the time unless I have something I need to do right after. I just go with the flow otherwise.

Crystal G.

I didn’t, I looked. Only once as I thought it had stopped. Then became immersed in my thoughts and thought the time passed quickly.

Albert Z.

I go ahead and look. Thinking about looking, trying not to look, thinking I shouldn’t look etc. are all way bigger distractions than just looking at the time. I have my timer set where I can see it with a quick glance and be done with it. I find that knowing I can always look has reduced the temptation to do so.

Mark G.

By not looking at it 🙂 Simply enjoy the process, not forget about the result for awhile. That’s how I deal with my anxiety and worries about the result.

Sarah P.

Sometimes I do look at it, but for the most part I just take a deep breath and tell myself, the timer will tell me when it’s done and then we can deal with all these thoughts running through my heas

Jessica R.

I just tell myself that if I’m not constantly checking the time I have left, I can make more use of the time I have, and in the end it will feel quicker and you will feel better about having done something.

Dwayne Z.

I try not to look, but sometimes I do. But I accept this as part of the training. I never meditated before and I’m not expecting of me to have a strong capacity to focus immediately. But with every session I feel more in control of this kind of temptations.

L Rke Z.

For that, I do meditation for more than 20 minutes so I don’t be obsessed by time. Focus on breathing and dive into your thoughts and from time to time get back to your breathing medication it’s like a excsrsise for your brain and your brain is a muscle the more you do the better you become. Just relax and breath

Soren N.

I usually take around 6-8 spoons of sugar daily. But after reading the letter and I scolded my doctor cousin why you dint tell me about sugar. I decided to take challenge, skipped my morning tea, my afternoon I am feeling very depressed. I controlled myself, and ate 3 oranges 🍊. Till evening there were no sugar, I am feeling little weird. I hope it will be awesome if I complete the challenge, but it’s holiday time. I don’t think I will do it.

Answers reflect the personal experiences of Fabulous community members. They are not medical or professional advice — for guidance about your health, talk to a qualified professional.