zen habits habits RSS RSS Feed Feed zen zen habits habits Feed Feed zen zen habits habits Comments Comments Feed Feed alternate alternate alternate alternate alternate alternate zen zen habits habits training training books books about about Archives Archives breathe breathe Essential Essential Rules Rules to to Live Live More More Like Like a a Zen Zen Monk Monk We We have have more more possibilities possibilities available available in in each each moment moment than than we we realize realize Thich Thich Nhat Nhat Hanh Hanh By By Leo Leo Babauta Babauta I I m m not not a a Zen Zen monk monk nor nor will will I I ever ever become become one one However However I I find find great great inspiration inspiration in in the the way way they they try try to to live live their their lives lives the the simplicity simplicity of of their their lives lives the the concentration concentration and and mindfulness mindfulness of of every every activity activity the the calm calm and and peace peace they they find find in in their their days days You You probably probably don don t t want want to to become become a a Zen Zen monk monk either either but but you you can can live live your your life life in in a a more more Zen Zen like like manner manner by by following following a a few few simple simple rules rules Why Why live live more more like like a a Zen Zen monk monk Because Because who who among among us us can can t t use use a a little little more more concentration concentration tranquility tranquility and and mindfulness mindfulness in in our our lives lives Because Because Zen Zen monks monks for for hundreds hundreds of of years years have have devoted devoted their their lives lives to to being being present present in in everything everything they they do do to to being being dedicated dedicated and and to to serving serving others others Because Because it it serves serves as as an an example example for for our our lives lives and and whether whether we we ever ever really really reach reach that that ideal ideal is is not not the the point point One One of of my my favorite favorite Zen Zen monks monks Thich Thich Nhat Nhat Hanh Hanh simplified simplified the the rules rules in in just just a a few few words words Smile Smile breathe breathe and and go go slowly slowly It It doesn doesn t t get get any any better better than than that that However However for for those those who who would would like like a a little little more more detail detail I I thought thought I I d d share share some some of of the the things things I I ve ve discovered discovered to to work work very very well well in in my my experiments experiments with with Zen Zen like like living living I I am am no no Zen Zen master master I I am am not not even even a a Zen Zen Buddhist Buddhist However However I I ve ve found found that that there there are are certain certain principles principles that that can can be be applied applied to to any any life life no no matter matter what what your your religious religious beliefs beliefs or or what what your your standard standard of of living living Zen Zen is is not not some some kind kind of of excitement excitement but but concentration concentration on on our our usual usual everyday everyday routine routine Shunryu Shunryu Suzuki Suzuki Do Do one one thing thing at at a a time time This This rule rule and and some some of of the the others others that that follow follow will will be be familiar familiar to to long long time time Zen Zen Habits Habits readers readers It It s s part part of of my my philosophy philosophy and and it it s s also also a a part part of of the the life life of of a a Zen Zen monk monk single single task task don don t t multi multi task task When When you you re re pouring pouring water water just just pour pour water water When When you you re re eating eating just just eat eat When When you you re re bathing bathing just just bathe bathe Don Don t t try try to to knock knock off off a a few few tasks tasks while while eating eating or or bathing bathing Zen Zen proverb proverb When When walking walking walk walk When When eating eating eat eat Do Do it it slowly slowly and and deliberately deliberately You You can can do do one one task task at at a a time time but but also also rush rush that that task task Instead Instead take take your your time time and and move move slowly slowly Make Make your your actions actions deliberate deliberate not not rushed rushed and and random random It It takes takes practice practice but but it it helps helps you you focus focus on on the the task task Do Do it it completely completely Put Put your your mind mind completely completely on on the the task task Don Don t t move move on on to to the the next next task task until until you you re re finished finished If If for for some some reason reason you you have have no no choice choice but but to to move move on on to to something something else else try try to to at at least least put put away away the the unfinished unfinished task task and and clean clean up up after after yourself yourself If If you you prepare prepare a a sandwich sandwich don don t t start start eating eating it it until until you you ve ve put put away away the the stuff stuff you you used used to to prepare prepare it it wiped wiped down down the the counter counter and and washed washed the the dishes dishes used used for for preparation preparation Then Then you you re re done done with with that that task task and and can can focus focus more more completely completely on on the the next next task task Do Do less less A A Zen Zen monk monk doesn doesn t t lead lead a a lazy lazy life life he he wakes wakes early early and and has has a a day day filled filled with with work work However However he he doesn doesn t t have have an an unending unending task task list list either either there there are are certain certain things things he he s s going going to to do do today today and and no no more more If If you you do do less less you you can can do do those those things things more more slowly slowly more more completely completely and and with with more more concentration concentration If If you you fill fill your your day day with with tasks tasks you you will will be be rushing rushing from from one one thing thing to to the the next next without without stopping stopping to to think think about about what what you you do do Put Put space space between between things things Related Related to to the the Do Do less less rule rule but but it it s s a a way way of of managing managing your your schedule schedule so so that that you you always always have have time time to to complete complete each each task task Don Don t t schedule schedule things things close close together together instead instead leave leave room room between between things things on on your your schedule schedule That That gives gives you you a a more more relaxed relaxed schedule schedule and and leaves leaves space space in in case case one one task task takes takes longer longer than than you you planned planned Develop Develop rituals rituals Zen Zen monks monks have have rituals rituals for for many many things things they they do do from from eating eating to to cleaning cleaning to to meditation meditation Ritual Ritual gives gives something something a a sense sense of of importance importance if if it it s s important important enough enough to to have have a a ritual ritual it it s s important important enough enough to to be be given given your your entire entire attention attention and and to to be be done done slowly slowly and and correctly correctly You You don don t t have have to to learn learn the the Zen Zen monk monk rituals rituals you you can can create create your your own own for for the the preparation preparation of of food food for for eating eating for for cleaning cleaning for for what what you you do do before before you you start start your your work work for for what what you you do do when when you you wake wake up up and and before before you you go go to to bed bed for for what what you you do do just just before before exercise exercise Anything Anything you you want want really really Designate Designate time time for for certain certain things things There There are are certain certain times times in in the the day day of of a a Zen Zen monk monk designated designated for for certain certain activities activities A A time time for for for for bathing bathing a a time time for for work work a a time time for for cleaning cleaning a a time time for for eating eating This This ensures ensures that that those those things things get get done done regularly regularly You You can can designate designate time time for for your your own own activities activities whether whether that that be be work work or or cleaning cleaning or or exercise exercise or or quiet quiet contemplation contemplation If If it it s s important important enough enough to to do do regularly regularly consider consider designating designating a a time time for for it it Devote Devote time time to to sitting sitting In In the the life life of of a a Zen Zen monk monk sitting sitting meditation meditation zazen zazen is is one one of of the the most most important important parts parts of of his his day day Each Each day day there there is is time time designated designated just just for for sitting sitting This This meditation meditation is is really really practice practice for for learning learning to to be be present present You You can can devote devote time time for for sitting sitting meditation meditation or or do do what what I I do do I I use use running running as as a a way way to to practice practice being being in in the the moment moment You You could could use use any any activity activity in in the the same same way way as as long long as as you you do do it it regularly regularly and and practice practice being being present present Smile Smile and and serve serve others others Zen Zen monks monks spend spend part part of of their their day day in in service service to to others others whether whether that that be be other other monks monks in in the the monastery monastery or or people people on on the the outside outside world world It It teaches teaches them them humility humility and and ensures ensures that that their their lives lives are are not not just just selfish selfish but but devoted devoted to to others others If If you you re re a a parent parent it it s s likely likely you you already already spend spend at at least least some some time time in in service service to to others others in in your your household household and and non non parents parents may may already already do do this this too too Similarly Similarly smiling smiling and and being being kind kind to to others others can can be be a a great great way way to to improve improve the the lives lives of of those those around around you you Also Also consider consider volunteering volunteering for for charity charity work work Make Make cleaning cleaning and and cooking cooking become become meditation meditation Aside Aside from from the the zazen zazen mentioned mentioned above above cooking cooking and and cleaning cleaning are are two two of of the the most most exalted exalted parts parts of of a a Zen Zen monk monk s s day day They They are are both both great great ways ways to to practice practice mindfulness mindfulness and and can can be be great great rituals rituals performed performed each each day day If If cooking cooking and and cleaning cleaning seem seem like like boring boring chores chores to to you you try try doing doing them them as as a a form form of of meditation meditation Put Put your your entire entire mind mind into into those those tasks tasks concentrate concentrate and and do do them them slowly slowly and and completely completely It It could could change change your your entire entire day day as as well well as as leave leave you you with with a a cleaner cleaner house house Think Think about about what what is is necessary necessary There There is is little little in in a a Zen Zen monk monk s s life life that that isn isn t t necessary necessary He He doesn doesn t t have have a a closet closet full full of of shoes shoes or or the the latest latest in in trendy trendy clothes clothes He He doesn doesn t t have have a a refrigerator refrigerator and and cabinets cabinets full full of of junk junk food food He He doesn doesn t t have have the the latest latest gadgets gadgets cars cars televisions televisions or or iPod iPod He He has has basic basic clothing clothing basic basic shelter shelter basic basic utensils utensils basic basic tools tools and and the the most most basic basic food food they they eat eat simple simple vegetarian vegetarian meals meals consisting consisting usually usually of of rice rice miso miso soup soup vegetables vegetables and and pickled pickled vegetables vegetables Now Now I I m m not not saying saying you you should should live live exactly exactly like like a a Zen Zen monk monk I I certainly certainly don don t t But But it it does does serve serve as as a a reminder reminder that that there there is is much much in in our our lives lives that that aren aren t t necessary necessary and and it it can can be be useful useful to to give give some some thought thought about about what what we we really really need need and and whether whether it it is is important important to to have have all all the the stuff stuff we we have have that that s s not not necessary necessary Live Live simply simply The The corollary corollary of of Rule Rule is is that that if if something something isn isn t t necessary necessary you you can can probably probably live live without without it it And And so so to to live live simply simply is is to to rid rid your your life life of of as as many many of of the the unnecessary unnecessary and and unessential unessential things things as as you you can can to to make make room room for for the the essential essential Now Now what what is is essential essential will will be be different different to to each each person person For For me me my my family family my my writing writing my my running running and and my my reading reading are are essential essential To To others others yoga yoga and and spending spending time time with with close close friends friends might might be be essential essential For For others others it it will will be be nursing nursing and and volunteering volunteering and and going going to to church church and and collecting collecting comic comic books books There There is is no no law law saying saying what what should should be be essential essential for for you you but but you you should should consider consider what what is is most most important important to to your your life life and and make make room room for for that that by by eliminating eliminating the the other other less less essential essential things things in in your your life life Before Before enlightenment enlightenment chop chop wood wood and and carry carry water water After After enlightenment enlightenment chop chop wood wood and and carry carry water water Wu Wu Li Li Tell Tell me me who who you you are are again again I I m m Leo Leo Babauta Babauta founder founder of of Zen Zen Habits Habits I I transformed transformed my my life life about about years years ago ago and and have have helped helped thousands thousands of of people people change change theirs theirs through through habit habit change change and and mindfulness mindfulness training training I I m m a a vegan vegan dad dad a a husband husband and and we we re re now now living living in in San San Diego Diego Read Read about about my my mission mission to to change change the the world world through through 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