The Secret to Inner Peace in a Hectic World

It has been a hectic start to 2010. I’ve been away from home most of the year (some for work, but most to be with Paula visiting her mom in Charlotte). Paula’s daughter had a difficult pregnancy and just delivered a healthy baby boy Sunday morning – welcome to the world Duke Dodge!! Children have been coming and going, even when we’re not home. Work has been sporadic. All in all, a hectic new year.

Even though I have been very busy the past few weeks with work and family, my equilibrium has been off – not having that anchor of home and routine. I found myself in a bit of a funk.

Then I heard a talk at church last week that reminded me of something I learned many years ago and try to practice in my daily life. I believe it is the secret to happiness, to inner peace.

I experience inner peace when my daily actions are aligned with what is truly important

What I believe is truly important in this life is:

1. My relationship with God.
2. My relationship with my wife, Paula, and my children.
3. My personal health and well-being.
4. Serving others, including teaching, writing, and other acts of service.

As I looked back over the past few weeks, I could not say my daily actions (especially my discretionary time) were aligned with what is truly important. There was a little too much March Madness, and not enough time on the weightier matters, including taking care of my personal health.

I have done better this week and have experienced greater inner peace, even if the “outer” life is still hectic.

The Myth of Multitasking

In one of the many letters he wrote to his son in the 1740s, Lord Chesterfield offered the following advice:

“There is time enough for everything in the course of the day, if you do but one thing at once, but there is not time enough in the year, if you will do two things at a time.”

On Saturday, I found myself simultaneously trying to spend meaningful time with my grandson Bryson, watching a movie, and using the Internet to plan some travel. And… I was doing none of them very well.

The reality is that we do not multitask, but move back and forth between multiple tasks. Recent research on a number of fronts has shown that what we call multitasking actually reduces productivity and adds stress to our lives (see The Myth of Multitasking in the New Atlantis Journal).

I find this especially true when it comes to relationships. It is only when I make the time to be fully present with another human being that I really connect with them, on a deep, personal level. That is the level at which I desire to live my life.

Clearly there is work left to be done… Let me know what you think.