SUMMARY POINTS
You get to work just in time before the first meeting begins. You feel the slight need to go to the bathroom. But, it’s not too bad, so it can wait for now.
With only a few minutes to spare, you rush to your desk, drop your stuff, grab your notepad and hustle to the conference room.
Everyone is just walking into the room as you get to the door - perfect timing.
After an hour of back-n-forth discussion, the meeting ends. You think to yourself that this could’ve easily been handled via email.
Your body is now starting to signal you for a pit stop, but you can’t right now. You rush back to your desk to finish up an urgent request that got dropped in your lap at 4:59pm yesterday. It’s due in an hour, so you monotask on that priority and nothing else.
With 15 minutes left, you’re still not done, but almost there. At that precise moment, you get the default 15-minute meeting alert for an upcoming conference call that you totally forgot about.
You gotta prep for that too - FML.
You’re scrambling to finish the priority task and just as you send it off, you get your thoughts lined up for the conference call that’s starting in two minutes.
Just as the call begins and you start explaining your items, your body is sounding the “gotta go soon” early warning.
The group discussion goes round-robin through all the attendees and as the meeting concludes with the obligatory “anybody else have any questions?” you hope that nobody speaks up.
Silence. Yes!
At this point, the bio-alert has escalated to the “GOTTA GO NOW!” emergency level.
You hang up from the call and bolt for the restroom.
With only seconds to spare, you rush into the bathroom and pray that there’s an open spot.
As you race into an empty stall, you fumble with your pants and barely drop them in time as all hell breaks loose from your underworld.
It’s like the bathroom scene from Dumb and Dumber.
VIDEO: The Toilet Doesn't Flush
YOUTUBE: Movieclips
LENGTH: 2:42
With only a few minutes to spare, you rush to your desk, drop your stuff, grab your notepad and hustle to the conference room.
Everyone is just walking into the room as you get to the door - perfect timing.
After an hour of back-n-forth discussion, the meeting ends. You think to yourself that this could’ve easily been handled via email.
Your body is now starting to signal you for a pit stop, but you can’t right now. You rush back to your desk to finish up an urgent request that got dropped in your lap at 4:59pm yesterday. It’s due in an hour, so you monotask on that priority and nothing else.
With 15 minutes left, you’re still not done, but almost there. At that precise moment, you get the default 15-minute meeting alert for an upcoming conference call that you totally forgot about.
You gotta prep for that too - FML.
You’re scrambling to finish the priority task and just as you send it off, you get your thoughts lined up for the conference call that’s starting in two minutes.
Just as the call begins and you start explaining your items, your body is sounding the “gotta go soon” early warning.
The group discussion goes round-robin through all the attendees and as the meeting concludes with the obligatory “anybody else have any questions?” you hope that nobody speaks up.
Silence. Yes!
At this point, the bio-alert has escalated to the “GOTTA GO NOW!” emergency level.
You hang up from the call and bolt for the restroom.
With only seconds to spare, you rush into the bathroom and pray that there’s an open spot.
As you race into an empty stall, you fumble with your pants and barely drop them in time as all hell breaks loose from your underworld.
It’s like the bathroom scene from Dumb and Dumber.
VIDEO: The Toilet Doesn't Flush
YOUTUBE: Movieclips
LENGTH: 2:42
When you gotta go, you gotta go.
And when you finally have the opportunity to let loose, there’s absolutely nothing else going through your mind other than the waves of relief and relaxation as all that pressure is released.
Your heart rate slows down dramatically.
Your blood pressure drops from its sky-high levels.
Your breathing is slower and deeper.
You feel a cooling chill washing all over your body.
Every muscle in your body is limber.
You close your eyes and thank God that you made it.
You continue to sit there completely relaxed.
You, my friend, are doing a toilet meditation.
And when you finally have the opportunity to let loose, there’s absolutely nothing else going through your mind other than the waves of relief and relaxation as all that pressure is released.
Your heart rate slows down dramatically.
Your blood pressure drops from its sky-high levels.
Your breathing is slower and deeper.
You feel a cooling chill washing all over your body.
Every muscle in your body is limber.
You close your eyes and thank God that you made it.
You continue to sit there completely relaxed.
You, my friend, are doing a toilet meditation.
Going To The Bathroom Is Like A Meditation
If you’re not too familiar with what meditation is all about, don’t worry, you can check out our newbie’s guide to meditation. In the meantime, here’s the gist of it.
The ultimate goal of meditation is to reach a state of mental and emotional calm and stability, free from all the chaos and distractions of life. It’s kinda like wiping the slate clean and hitting the reset button on yourself.
The process to get to that state is a hard one because our minds are like crazy hyped up monkeys that jump from one thought to another endlessly.
So, unless you’re a Buddhist monk that’s been meditating for decades, it’s unlikely that you can just clear your mind on demand. It’s impossible.
The way most people deal with this challenge is to give the “monkey mind” something to latch onto. And for many meditators, focusing the mind’s attention on the sensation of breathing is a common way to do this.
By focusing your mind on something simple, you can start to let go of all the other stressing thoughts running around in your head. It’s this singular focus that helps to ease your mind’s craziness and bring you to a more stable and clear state of mind.
And sometimes, this focusing of your mind’s attention to a singular thing happens automatically, without you even noticing.
It’s like the bio-alert moment when you’re on the toilet letting loose.
There’s nothing else occupying your mind at that moment other than the feelings of all that pressure being released and the resulting relief and relaxation it’s bringing.
You’re not thinking about the report you just finished, the conference call you just had, the next upcoming meeting, yesterday’s argument with a coworker, tomorrow’s presentation, etc.
It’s this singular focus of taking a shit or a long piss is what’s clearing your mind of all other nonsense in your head. Not only are you relieving yourself physically, but also mentally too.
It’s in these few minutes when you’re letting human biology do its thing, whether it’s dropping turds or releasing the dam, that you’re in a meditative state of mind - an informal meditation of sorts.
And, it’s the reason why you feel so much better, both in mind and body, during and after the process. You’ve cleared out all the shit - quite literally and figuratively.
It’s only after washing your hands and walking out of the bathroom that your mind then reverts back to all the bullshit you gotta deal with.
The ultimate goal of meditation is to reach a state of mental and emotional calm and stability, free from all the chaos and distractions of life. It’s kinda like wiping the slate clean and hitting the reset button on yourself.
The process to get to that state is a hard one because our minds are like crazy hyped up monkeys that jump from one thought to another endlessly.
So, unless you’re a Buddhist monk that’s been meditating for decades, it’s unlikely that you can just clear your mind on demand. It’s impossible.
The way most people deal with this challenge is to give the “monkey mind” something to latch onto. And for many meditators, focusing the mind’s attention on the sensation of breathing is a common way to do this.
By focusing your mind on something simple, you can start to let go of all the other stressing thoughts running around in your head. It’s this singular focus that helps to ease your mind’s craziness and bring you to a more stable and clear state of mind.
And sometimes, this focusing of your mind’s attention to a singular thing happens automatically, without you even noticing.
It’s like the bio-alert moment when you’re on the toilet letting loose.
There’s nothing else occupying your mind at that moment other than the feelings of all that pressure being released and the resulting relief and relaxation it’s bringing.
You’re not thinking about the report you just finished, the conference call you just had, the next upcoming meeting, yesterday’s argument with a coworker, tomorrow’s presentation, etc.
It’s this singular focus of taking a shit or a long piss is what’s clearing your mind of all other nonsense in your head. Not only are you relieving yourself physically, but also mentally too.
It’s in these few minutes when you’re letting human biology do its thing, whether it’s dropping turds or releasing the dam, that you’re in a meditative state of mind - an informal meditation of sorts.
And, it’s the reason why you feel so much better, both in mind and body, during and after the process. You’ve cleared out all the shit - quite literally and figuratively.
It’s only after washing your hands and walking out of the bathroom that your mind then reverts back to all the bullshit you gotta deal with.
Micro Meditations On The Toilet Or At The Urinal
We don’t think much about the act of pissing or taking a shit. It’s just a natural process of being human and living.
About the only time that we’re actively thinking about it is during those times when it reaches a critical point. That’s when it becomes the only thing on our minds.
There’s a different way to go about this - a way that can actually help to clear the mind as well as the body.
It’s all hinges around being present and “in the moment” while you’re doing your thing.
Being fully present and aware of your body, breathing, thoughts and emotions while you’re relieving yourself is a great way to bring on more calmness.
About the only time that we’re actively thinking about it is during those times when it reaches a critical point. That’s when it becomes the only thing on our minds.
There’s a different way to go about this - a way that can actually help to clear the mind as well as the body.
It’s all hinges around being present and “in the moment” while you’re doing your thing.
Being fully present and aware of your body, breathing, thoughts and emotions while you’re relieving yourself is a great way to bring on more calmness.
Visualize Toxins Leaving Your Body
When you’re pissing or dropping a deuce, instead of just zoning out or pulling out your smartphone and scrolling, focus on what’s happening.
This is the body’s natural way to get rid of waste and toxins.
Imagine your various biological systems cooperating with your digestive system gathering up all of the trash inside in your body and sending out like a conveyor belt.
Visualize all the crud, bacteria and bad stuff leaving your system.
It’s almost like your mind is controlling your digestive system.
This is the body’s natural way to get rid of waste and toxins.
Imagine your various biological systems cooperating with your digestive system gathering up all of the trash inside in your body and sending out like a conveyor belt.
Visualize all the crud, bacteria and bad stuff leaving your system.
It’s almost like your mind is controlling your digestive system.
Feel Stress & Anxiety Being Released
The sensation of relieving yourself feels good. It’s part of human biology. In fact, when we piss or take a dump, it actually triggers the same feel-good hormone dopamine.
This happens automatically every single time.
You can add-on a little mental trick to maximize the benefit.
Imagine all of your stresses and anxieties melting away or evaporating from your mind while your body is doing its thing. It’s kinda like a two-for-one bonus deal. The physical and mental waste are both being eliminated from the body.
This happens automatically every single time.
You can add-on a little mental trick to maximize the benefit.
Imagine all of your stresses and anxieties melting away or evaporating from your mind while your body is doing its thing. It’s kinda like a two-for-one bonus deal. The physical and mental waste are both being eliminated from the body.
Take An Extra Few Minutes To Relax
A lot of us are so pressed for time during the day that when we do go to the bathroom, it’s a rushed affair. It’s get in, get it done and get out. You’re treating your bathroom breaks like a Formula1 pit stop during a race.
Big mistake.
This is the one thing that you do several times a day where you truly have some time to yourself. It’s about time you take advantage of it and make the most of it.
Instead of zipping up right after everything is done, take an extra minute or two and just close your eyes and relax. Just chill.
The working world can wait another minute.
Big mistake.
This is the one thing that you do several times a day where you truly have some time to yourself. It’s about time you take advantage of it and make the most of it.
Instead of zipping up right after everything is done, take an extra minute or two and just close your eyes and relax. Just chill.
The working world can wait another minute.
Imagine All Negativity Being Flushed Away
Why is it that toilets in commercial buildings have such powerful flushes? They’re like two or three times more powerful than the ones we have at home and definitely louder.
We can use this as another tool in our workplace meditation toolbox.
Just before you hit that flush, think of one to three negative things or stressors that have been nagging you lately. Get those thoughts front and center in your mind. This shouldn’t be hard to do since they’ve been bugging you all day anyway.
Then, close your eyes and hit that flush.
As you hear that powerful whoosh of the toilet, imagine those stressors going down the drain along with your bodily waste. All that bad mojo - gone, baby!
We can use this as another tool in our workplace meditation toolbox.
Just before you hit that flush, think of one to three negative things or stressors that have been nagging you lately. Get those thoughts front and center in your mind. This shouldn’t be hard to do since they’ve been bugging you all day anyway.
Then, close your eyes and hit that flush.
As you hear that powerful whoosh of the toilet, imagine those stressors going down the drain along with your bodily waste. All that bad mojo - gone, baby!
Add Restroom Meditations To Your Repertoire
Admit it, you use your smartphone on the can. Most of us do. In fact, according to recent surveys, three out of four people use their smartphones while on the toilet.
Why?
Mainly to avoid boredom by scrolling through social media.
We’re not saying that you should stop using your smartphone in the bathroom. It does have its benefits.
What we’re suggesting is that instead of just giving in to the addictive draw of social media scrolling every single time, try meditating every once in a while instead.
Again, nothing fancy. Just be “in the moment” and focus your mind’s attention on the bodily sensations and visualize your body emptying out all the toxins, both physical and mental.
If you can’t stand being in the bathroom for any longer than you need to, then try doing a one-minute meditation when you get back to your desk or outside with some fresh air.
And lastly, listen to your body and take care of it. Your health is top priority. Without it, you can’t do all the awesome things that you do.
So, next time your bladder or bowels send a signal, don’t blow it off. Go do your thing and be “in the moment” as you’re doing it. It’s okay to be a few minutes late to the meeting or conference call. The world won’t end and you’ll feel much better physically and mentally.
When your mind and body are taken care of, your focus and productivity will be at its best.
Happy pooping and peeing! 😉
Feel Better,
[Cubicle|Therapy]
Why?
Mainly to avoid boredom by scrolling through social media.
We’re not saying that you should stop using your smartphone in the bathroom. It does have its benefits.
What we’re suggesting is that instead of just giving in to the addictive draw of social media scrolling every single time, try meditating every once in a while instead.
Again, nothing fancy. Just be “in the moment” and focus your mind’s attention on the bodily sensations and visualize your body emptying out all the toxins, both physical and mental.
If you can’t stand being in the bathroom for any longer than you need to, then try doing a one-minute meditation when you get back to your desk or outside with some fresh air.
And lastly, listen to your body and take care of it. Your health is top priority. Without it, you can’t do all the awesome things that you do.
So, next time your bladder or bowels send a signal, don’t blow it off. Go do your thing and be “in the moment” as you’re doing it. It’s okay to be a few minutes late to the meeting or conference call. The world won’t end and you’ll feel much better physically and mentally.
When your mind and body are taken care of, your focus and productivity will be at its best.
Happy pooping and peeing! 😉
Feel Better,
[Cubicle|Therapy]