186 Time Hacking and Mindfulness With Writer Benjamin Hardy

Benjamin Hardy and his wife, Lauren, are the foster parents of 3 epic kids. Benjamin Hardy is a writer and adviser for startups. He is pursuing his PhD in I/O Psychology at Clemson University. I/O Psychology is short for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. His research examines the psychological differences between entrepreneurs and wannabe entrepreneurs. Benjamin is passionate about mindfulness, how we perceive the passage of time and he is also a productivity expert. His book, Slipstream Time Hacking, explains how to fully live in the present, slow your time down and get where you want to go faster. His writing has been featured at Fortune, Fast Company, Inc., Success, Psychology Today, Huffington Post, Business Insider, New York Observer, Thought Catalog, and others.

Contact Info

• Website: www.BenjaminHardy.com
• Website: Read his work at www.medium.com

Most Influential Person

• Ellen Langer (Author)

Effect on Emotions

• I think mindfulness is a way to emotionally regulate; in other words its a way to be aware of your own emotions so that then you can decide what to do with them.  Another way ... if you've read Michael Singer's work, The Untethered Soul, I think a big part of mindfulness is just being aware of your emotional blocks, your suppressed emotions, your oppressed emotions, beginning to look at your life and saying, why is it this way. Am I living this way because I'm trying to protect myself from emotions like fear or shame? So being mindful of why you're avoiding certain emotions. A lot of people live way smaller than they want to because they're trying to avoid certain emotions like fear for example. If someone has the dream of becoming a professional writer for example, but they're too afraid to put their work out there, then their life is set up in a way that they're trying to avoid that emotion. Part of emotional regulation is being willing to experience the dark emotions. Another part is trying to understand your emotions better so you can more healthily live. I think mindfulness is essential to both of those.

Thoughts on Breathing

• I don't use mindfulness in the exact same way everyone does as far as direct meditation where I have breathing exercises. I don't spend as much time on that one. My form of meditation is more in the form of journal writing and running and prayer. Breathing is not one I use as much.

Suggested Resources

• Book: Mindfulness by Ellen Langer
• App: www.medium.com (I publish a lot there and I feel that's a way to become mindful, is to have a practice of writing).