Turn on the Autopilot

I often run in autopilot.  This is not an automatic thing; I program it into my brain first.  Like a gymnast visualises a routine in their mind before throwing their body into the mix, so I, run through my mind, a sequence of events before I have to do them. 

I’ve done this for a long time now but I’ve only recently become aware of this visualisation.  The realisation came to me when I was dropping my children to school one morning. Before I go on with the story I just want to back track a little.

Whilst I’m rushing around in the morning, trying to get four children ready for the day, I think about what I need to do before I walk out the door. Can you imagine, for a moment, the image below is my brain? Please? Just do it for me, okay? Don’t be scared. Alright, just be a little afraid.

In my head I ‘see’ where the keys are hanging.  I visualise where my son’s shoes are. I think about where the rotten sweet attachment toys would be because we HAVE to take them everywhere.  So on, so forth.  When it comes to the crunch, my body just runs on it’s own.  Freaky, I know (I bet you do it too). Now I’m teaching my children the same, so they can be as deranged smart as me.

Getting back to the school drop-off. I was finding whenever I got to the school gate, battling all the other parents to be the first to throw get my children out the car, my children didn’t know where their bags were and what door to get out of. And I’m like, “HURRY UP AND GET OUT OF THE CAR!” Except, of course, I said it in a whisper as per my post. NOT. UM. *cough* After a hurried kiss and hand waving by other parents, the drop off was done.  Far from the positive, happy, love and kisses send-off I was hoping.

To make the school drop off relaxed more relaxed, I decided to teach my children how to turn their autopilot on (the realisation about the whole autopilot thing came about now: wow, I do that automatically).  The girls and I chose a certain landmark on the way to school where they visualise their bag and how to get out of the car.    The car drop off is now a wonderfully, happy, love and kisses send-off.

Ahhhh, autopilot; you wonderful thing.

Tagged as: autopilot, school drop-off, school mornings, visualisation