ATTENTION IS GOLDEN
I am so very easily distracted. Behind the scenes of getting this written, I have drank and topped up 5 mugs of herbal tea, sidetracked myself with 3 WhattsApp notifications which led me to a 20 min ‘quick’ phone call, started on an overdue invoice, hung up the washing and then did a quick round of social media check-ins. This happens most days, especially the busiest days where I get almost nothing done and blast myself for my lack of productivity. Multi-tasking is a painful yet often upheld illusion.
Some days when I actually do get things done and complete, I know I’ve reigned in my attention, stopped lying to myself about multi-tasking abilities, and actually set up the conditions to make sure I don’t falter.
There are 2 types of attention I’m talking about and both are of value; The attention that is wide open to the moment, in which your senses are present and feel heightened; often in nature this arises or there’s that focused kind of attention where you are so absorbed in a task that time flies by. Remember your attention is golden, so what you focus on and are grateful for daily is amplified!
Here are 6 easy ways to reign in that monkey mind and focus that Golden currency that is your Attention;
1.TURN OFF NOTIFICATIONS
Recently read somewhere that is harder to ignore a notification that to resist the temptation of a chocolate bar or sex, that’s quite a heavy pull! There is no logical or rational reason to constantly check notifications or email during a workday, yet we do..It’s the lure of those likes which give us a Dopamine hit. Anyone who has watched the haunting Social Dilemma knows that your phones and these social media companies actually set it up so that algorithms stalk you and intentionally are mining for your attention.
What helps me is about 50min blocks of work with my phone on Flight mode and in another room, then 10 min off and ‘connecting’.. Try it!
2.DON’T SHARE IT
True attention is expansive and makes memories that much more colorful, intense and memorable. When you are sharing an experience on social media, you are less actually involved in the experience so you remember less of it. The added action of photographing your meal or that ‘moment’ ironically has caused you to disconnect from it, so the mental memory is less vivid. I remember when I first traveled around Europe alone, was well into my photography, using my old school non-digital SLR. I had just arrived in Valencia, put down my heavy backpack in the hostel and took a walk to orient myself - as I do in every new city- when I rounded the corner that I was told would lead me to the ocean, I saw an explosion of whirling pinks, purples, oranges, and grey dark swollen clouds all dancing together in this orgasmic light show of sea and sky. At the same time as I was drawn towards it to LIVE the experience, I was pulled back by my mind telling me to go get the camera and tripod. I ignored the urge and went right down to the sea and soaked that sunset into my senses. Still remains one of the most vivid and powerful sunsets I’ve ever been blessed to witness. Phone free.
3.CLOSE THOSE OPEN ENDS.
I’m the queen of starting projects and new creative ideas. Rarely do I ever come to full completion on most of these, which is fine not every idea is meant to be the next big thing, some creative ideas are short lived and non-feasible in reality.
However everyday things in your environment left unfinished make you pay less attention to the moment you’re in. Don’t start a task if you know you can’t finish it, especially before bed or before you’re scheduled to meet someone online. You’re diminishing your attention and self -sabotaging!
4.THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE
Only found out this technique is actually a named technique recently, which also has an app for it.
To be able to focus attention and concentrate you also need moments of non-focus. I love skygazing or drawing or a quick burst of yoga. Anything non-techy and that gets you into your body and senses is ideal and considered non-focus.
Similar to my 50 min off and 10 min on, he goes by half of that time, which is 25min on and 5 min off. It takes me longer to get into the flow, so I’ll stick to my 50min, plus I would recommend trying different time slots that work for you and then a fraction of that in off mode. Check out https://francescocirillo.com/pages/pomodoro-technique
5.FAKE VS REAL BREAKS
A real break is only that if you are not taking in and having ti process new information. The mind can only truly switch off and recharge when you allow it to be free to wander and stop focusing.
Checking Instagram or FB is not actually a real break, as the mind doesn’t discern between work email and social media, both require the mind to absorb new information, which is keeping the mind well and truly in ON mode. This leaves you feeling frazzled, unfulfilled and actually down at the end of a day, which builds up over a week and intensifies over months. Especially now since Covid-19, work, home, play si all done online, so the mind is constantly overwhelmed. Be kind to your mind and give it true breaks to daydream, go for a walk, do some mindless art, read some poetry. etc.
6.ORIENT YOURSELF THROUGH THE SENSES.
Thankfully my work is a mix of physical bodywork and mental online work. So I know the true power of my senses, whenever you arrive somewhere new or start your day at your desk, allow yourself to calmly arrive by looking around, noticing what you see, hear, smell and can touch in that moment. Notice how your body feels in response to the new environment or your desk that morning, notice your breath. Learning to orient yourself through your senses is extremely valuable as it allows you to track your emotional states moment by moment. Later in the day, you can again notice and orient yourself through your senses ,breath and observe any changes. Self-awareness is paying attention to the most important thing your world; You!
Let me know how you go and if you have any other tips for Keeping your Attention Golden, do share!