When TV newscaster Diane Sawyer was asked the secret to her success, she said, "I think the one lesson I've learned is there is no substitute for paying attention."
Are you thinking, "I agree, but how do we improve
our ability to focus and maintain attention -- no matter what?"
These five focus tips can help you concentrate better --
whether you're working in a busy office, studying at school, sitting in a
meeting, or trying to finish a project.
There are two kinds of
people -- those who have learned how to work through frustration, and those who
wish they had. From now on, if you're in the middle of a task and tempted to
give up -- just do FIVE MORE.
Just as athletes build physical stamina by
pushing past the point of exhaustion, you can build mental stamina by pushing
past the point of frustration.
Just as runners get their second wind by not
giving up when their body initially protests, you can get your "second
mind" by not giving up when your willpower initially protests. Continuing
to concentrate when your brain is tired is the key to S-T-R-E-T-C-H-I-N-G your
attention span and building mental endurance.
O = One Think At a
Time
Samuel Goldwyn said, "If I look confused,
it's because I'm thinking." Feeling scatter-brained? Overcome perpetual
preoccupation with the Godfather Plan -- make your mind a deal it can't refuse.
Yes, the mind takes bribes. Instead of telling it NOT to worry about another,
lesser priority (which will cause your mind to think about the very thing it's
not supposed to think about!), assign it a single task with start-stop time
parameters.
For example, "I will think about how to
pay off that credit card debt when I get home tonight and have a chance to add
up my bills. For now, for the next thirty minutes from 1-1:30 pm, I will give
my complete focus to practicing this presentation so I am eloquent and
articulate when pitching this proposal to our VIP clients."
Still can't get other concerns out of your
head? Write them down on your to-do list so you're free to forget them.
Recording worrisome obligations means you don't have to use your brain as a
"reminder" bulletin board, which means you can give your undivided
attention to your top priority task.
C = Conquer
Procrastination
Don't feel like concentrating? Are you putting
off a task or project you're supposed to be working on? That's a form of
procrastination. R. D. Clyde said, "It's amazing how long it takes to
complete something we're not working on."
Next time you're about
to postpone a responsibility ask yourself, "Do I have to do this? Do I
want it done so it's not on my mind? Will it be any easier later?" Those
three questions can give you the incentive to mentally apply yourself because
they bring you face to face with the fact this task isn't going away, and
delaying will only add to your guilt and make this onerous task occupy more of
your mind and time.
U =
Use Your Hands as Blinkers
Picture your mind as a camera and your eyes as
its aperture. Most of the time, our eyes are "taking it all in" and
our brain is in "wide-angle focus." We can actually think about many
things at once and operate quite efficiently this way (e.g., imagine driving
down a crowded highway while talking to a friend, fiddling with the radio,
keeping an eye on the cars beside you, and watching for your exit sign.)
What if you want to switch to telephoto focus?
What if you have to prepare for a test and you need 100% concentration? Cup
your hands around your eyes so you have "tunnel vision" and are
looking solely at your text book. Placing your hands on the side of your face
blocks out surroundings so they are literally "out of sight, out of
mind." Think about the importance of those words.
Want even better news? Does the name Pavlov
r-r-r-ring a bell? If you cup your hands around your eyes every time you want
to switch from wide-angle to telephoto focus, that physical ritual becomes a
Pavlovian trigger.
Remember? Pavlov rang the bell, fed the dog,
rang the bell and fed the dog, until the dog started salivating as soon as he
heard the sound of the bell. Similarly, using your hands as blinkers every time
you want to narrow your focus teaches your brain to switch to "one track"
mind and concentrate on your command.
S =
See As If For the First or Last Time
Want to know how to be "here and
now" and fully present instead of mindlessly rushing here, there, and
everywhere? Frederick Franck said, "When the eye wakes up to see again, it
suddenly stops taking anything for granted." Evelyn Underhill said,
"For lack of attention, a thousand forms of loveliness elude us every
day."
I constantly relearn this lesson. One time I
was giving my sons their nightly back rub. Although I was sitting right next to
them, I might as well have been in the next country because I was thinking of
the early morning flight I needed to take the next day and wondering if I had
packed my hand-outs, if my ticket was in my purse, etc.
Suddenly, my unfocused eyes fell upon my sons
and I truly SAW Tom and Andrew as if I was looking at them for the first time.
I was immediately flooded with a sense of gratitude for these two healthy,
thriving boys. I felt so blessed to have been gifted with such wonderful sons.
In an instant, I went from being absent-minded to being filled with a sense of
awe and appreciation for their presence in my life.
Next time your mind is a million miles away,
simply look around you and really SEE your surroundings. Study that exquisite
flower in the vase. Get up close to the picture on the wall and marvel at the
artist's craftmanship.
Lean in and really look at a loved one you
tend to take for granted. This will "Velveteen Rabbit" your world and
make it come alive in your mind's eye.
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