In this series we have been exploring ways to regain the concentration that modern living has destroyed. From smartphones to social media, from Netflix to email, we are surrounded by things that are fracturing our attention.
Some of us don't seem to care or notice, in fact these people revel in their distractions. Happily grabbing their phones in any spare moment, constantly sitting on the internet with several windows open at once, having multiple conversations at once.
To them they feel as if they are somehow being more productive by doing this, when the truth is they are destroying their ability to concentrate on anything for more than a few minutes at a time. Making it impossible for them to produce any work of genuine quality.
Yet others have realised the growing malaise of which they are a part of, and they would like to do something about it, but feel lost, as if they are drowning in a sea of information overload.
If you are from the latter group, then read on; don't worry, I have kept the articles from this series short because until you learn the secrets within them, you will not be able to focus on them for long enough to find out how to concentrate for longer!
The Therapeutic Benefit Of Focus
The science writer Winifred Gallagher in her 2009 book Rapt, which she describes as her Grand Unifying Theory of Psychology, discusses how what we pay attention to, has a profound effect on our well-being and general happiness.
Indeed she gives a personal example of how this manifests itself in a neurological manner, when she talks of being diagnosed with cancer; *"and not just cancer, a particularly nasty, fairly advanced kind."
Gallagher talks of walking away frOm the hospital and suddenly coming upon a theory that the disease wanted her attention, and right then and there she decided not to give it.
Instead she decided to focus on life and all the things that made her life great, films, walks, having a martini at 6 p.m.
In other words Gallagher made a conscious choice on what to focus on, and in doing so came to realise that your life experience is the sum of what you decide to focus on.
“Living the focused life is not about trying to feel happy all the time…rather, it’s about treating your mind as you would a private garden and being as careful as possible about what you introduce and allow to grow
there.”― Winifred Gallagher
Focus Over Relaxation For Happiness
Ask most people what their ideal view of happiness is, and they'll say something along the lines of not having to work while being able to sit on a beach or playing golf all day.
However all research suggests otherwise, our brains need to be engaged, and therefore when we remove all stimulus, or worse still replace focused stimuli with meaningless banal tasks, we actually become bored, tired and frustrated.
That feeling of emptiness you feel after binge watching the latest series on Netflix, or browsing Facebook for the last four hours, is directly caused by those activities.
Ironically many people try and make these feelings go away by simply doing more of the same, when in fact it is the opposite they need to do.
So What Do You Do If You Hate Your Job?
It is all very well and good to say that focusing on a job is better for your brain than watching TV and playing Angry Birds, but what if you genuinely can't stand being at your job?
Well giving up that job is the first step, but often people can't see past what's in front of their eyes and they feel trapped, especially if they are on a low income and are in debt.
However you can use focus to get you out of that situation. If you know you need to leave your current employment, then use focus to start researching another job.
Realise that you are the master of your own destiny and start to focus on the things that really matter in life. It is better to go through a tiny bit of mental discomfort than to endure perpetual misery at a job you can't stand.
Your Brain Your Attention!
So for now, look at the things that are great about your life. I highly recommend writing the down, whether by pen or computer. If you do use your laptop make sure to print out the results.
Now look at that list every morning, and every evening if you have to. This will create a state in your mind whereby you are paying attention to the good in your life, rather than the bad or simply the meaningless.
Do that and come back for the next instalment, because I can already feel your attention slipping away!
“The key to developing a deep work habit is to move beyond good intentions and add routines and rituals to your working life designed to minimize the amount of your limited willpower necessary to transition into and maintain a state of unbroken concentration.”
― Cal Newport, Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
WHAT DO YOU DECIDE TO FOCUS ON? OR DO YOU SIMPLY LET YOUR ATTENTION TO WANDER WHERE IT PLEASES ON A MOMENT TO MOMENT BASIS? AS EVER, LET ME KNOW BELOW!
Title image: Stefan Cosma on Unsplash