The 50/50 mindfulness practice

I interview subject matter experts and write articles based on these interviews. I wish I had a quarter for everytime I reviewed a transcript and find myself interrupting someone mid sentence. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve listened to myself completely miss an opportunity for dig deeper. I’ve literally yelled at myself, SHUT UP, because I wasn’t fully present in the moment with another, and I missed a subtle cue that should have inspired me to listen more, to listen better, and tell a better story.

One practice that helps me is what my teacher calls 50/50. When listening, divide your attention — placing half of your attention in your body and the other half of your attention on the task at hand — in this example, listening. I tend to place my attention at my feet, feeling them flat on the ground, the weight of them, the sensations surrounding them, that annoying place where my sock isn’t quite straight.

You’d think that it would be better to place 100% of your attention on listening — but that’s when I find my mind wanders the most. Feeling grounded in my feet reminds me to pay attention to the task of listening.