Yoga: practice makes perfect?

I saw this cute cartoon this morning and laughed. It’s not just that our two-year-old has mastered all the yoga poses with no practice, but she has this incredible ability to tune out everything else when she wants to. I turn on Elmo and my daughter stops whatever she is doing and is completely focused within two minutes. Emmerson? Emmerson? Emmerson? Nothing.

I show up at yoga class one day a week and I can’t seem to get centered. I’m sitting on my mat, setting an “intention for myself” when all these thoughts start flooding my mind. I need to do a load of laundry when I get home, remember to call the lawn guy back, find a babysitter for this weekend, email so-and-so and, oh wait, did I silence my cell phone?

The only thing I have found to solve this problem is to show up at the gym earlier and do some form of cardio before stepping into class. I’m able to make my mental lists while I’m on the elliptical or treadmill and be more calm by the time yoga begins. But on the days we’re running late (and aren’t we always?), I haven’t figured out how to get into the yoga zone. Any advice?