the practice of narration

Lately I've been trying to practice narrating what I do in my mind as I'm doing it. This helps me do only one thing at a time, and be present to each moment. I've resisted the urge to catch up on phone calls while driving, stating instead to myself, "I am driving." As I walk from the car to my office, I think, "I am walking." Once at work, as I embark on each task, I state in my mind what it is that I am doing. I am trying not to multi-task, but to approach each job deliberately and with focus. I plan to start using this approach with eating, too; observing not only that I am eating, but what the experience is like (the tastes, fragrances, textures, etc.) Though narrating each task may sound infantile and even maddening, it has had the opposite effect; I feel more centered, and find myself slowing down.