When you carry something heavy like a 40-pound cinderblock, you need to be focused so you don’t hurt yourself. If you get distracted, you could drop the block on your foot or strain your back or poke your eye out. The truth is that most of us remain mindful when attempting a high-risk feat, but often lose focus when performing run-of-the-mill exercises that we’ve done hundreds or thousands of times. As a result, we may get less benefit from certain movements than we should, or even worse, we might injure ourselves because we’re not paying attention. I challenge you to be completely present and mindful during one workout this week. Don’t look at your phone. Don’t engage in idle chatter with your neighbor. Don’t glance at your watch. Don’t let your mind wander. If it does, gently bring your attention back to the movement at hand without judging yourself. Try not to think about the “next” exercise, or how well or poorly you performed the previous one. Try not to compare yourself with the person in front of you or to the side of you. Stay focused and present, giving 100% of your attention to the movement that you’re performing in the here and now. After your workout jot down some judgment-free notes about how you did. See if you can do even better the next time.