There is a satisfaction to knowing that we’re on top of our work and nothing is falling through the cracks. That’s why it’s so uncomfortable when we feel busy. On the other hand, many of us like to have the meaning and purpose that comes from work and we feel bored when there’s nothing to do.
Insight meditation comes to the rescue to help us solve this problem. If we bring the mind into the present moment by mental noting and do one thing after another then we can be productive and at the same time feel confident that we’re not overlooking something important or at risk of missing a deadline. The reason for this is that noting automatically directs us to our highest priority tasks. When we direct our attention into the present moment, what needs to be done next couldn’t be more obvious.
The feeling of being overwhelmed with work comes from not noting often enough and therefore not prioritizing the most important tasks. Following this logic then, we can see that everyone’s highest priority should be training in mindfulness by noting. That is what the practice of Vipassana is all about and that is why it has such positive results. Present moment awareness is the beginning of a cascade of success that arises due to an ability to see and act on what’s most important.