Post by The Dan on Feb 9, 2016 10:49:18 GMT 12
What does it mean to focus your attention?
- zero-in your attention to a single point
- be fully present and aware of the current situation, without thinking of past or future
- focus is a VERB, it's an action you take, not a state you're in (i.e. focused)
- a decision about what is important and pushing your energy and effort toward that
- there is a purpose to it, a goal
What does it mean to be unfocused?
- not present, lost in thoughts that are about some other point in time (e.g. stories, assumptions, worries, plans, regrets and memories)
- unsure of what is important - no clear heirarchy
- feeling forced to do something you find unpleasant
- excuses and procrastination
- multitasking
What are the benefits in being able to manage your focal point of attention?
- higher levels of performance
- absorb useful information
- use fight or flight response helpfully
- present and able to enjoy life
- freedom from doubt, fear and worry
What are the downsides to being unfocused (multi-tasking)?
- anxiety without direction
- lack of effectiveness - unproductive
- energy spent on pointless stuff while important stuff builds up to overwhelming levels
- miss key information due to being lost in thought
- sense of uncertainty, lack of meaning and purpose
What prevents us from being focused? What distracts us?
- Facebook and advertising
- attachment to outcomes (instead of curiosity about the process) -
- clinging to unhelpful thoughts and feelings
- fear of change, fear of failure, fear of success
- mistaken belief that focus cannot be trained or learned
- inability to accept responsibility for life
- other people's priorities being pushed onto us, and lack of assertiveness to say No
How do we remove distraction as much as we can?
- clearly identify what is important for your longer term satisfaction/values, and what is not - www.theinspirationallifestyle.com/how-to-be-happier-using-the-pareto-principle/
- disable social media and email notifications - www.theinspirationallifestyle.com/avoid-the-email-trap-12-quick-tips-for-emails-based-on-microsoft-outlook/
- practice assertiveness
- end multitasking - only ever do one important thing at a time
- eat the big ugly frog - do the single most difficult and important thing FIRST every day
How can we train ourselves to focus more?
- meditation - www.samharris.org/podcast/item/mindfulness-meditation
- planning and goal setting - www.amazon.com/Legendary-Life-Motivation-Confidence-Authentic/dp/099634022X/
- zero-in your attention to a single point
- be fully present and aware of the current situation, without thinking of past or future
- focus is a VERB, it's an action you take, not a state you're in (i.e. focused)
- a decision about what is important and pushing your energy and effort toward that
- there is a purpose to it, a goal
What does it mean to be unfocused?
- not present, lost in thoughts that are about some other point in time (e.g. stories, assumptions, worries, plans, regrets and memories)
- unsure of what is important - no clear heirarchy
- feeling forced to do something you find unpleasant
- excuses and procrastination
- multitasking
What are the benefits in being able to manage your focal point of attention?
- higher levels of performance
- absorb useful information
- use fight or flight response helpfully
- present and able to enjoy life
- freedom from doubt, fear and worry
What are the downsides to being unfocused (multi-tasking)?
- anxiety without direction
- lack of effectiveness - unproductive
- energy spent on pointless stuff while important stuff builds up to overwhelming levels
- miss key information due to being lost in thought
- sense of uncertainty, lack of meaning and purpose
What prevents us from being focused? What distracts us?
- Facebook and advertising
- attachment to outcomes (instead of curiosity about the process) -
- clinging to unhelpful thoughts and feelings
- fear of change, fear of failure, fear of success
- mistaken belief that focus cannot be trained or learned
- inability to accept responsibility for life
- other people's priorities being pushed onto us, and lack of assertiveness to say No
How do we remove distraction as much as we can?
- clearly identify what is important for your longer term satisfaction/values, and what is not - www.theinspirationallifestyle.com/how-to-be-happier-using-the-pareto-principle/
- disable social media and email notifications - www.theinspirationallifestyle.com/avoid-the-email-trap-12-quick-tips-for-emails-based-on-microsoft-outlook/
- practice assertiveness
- end multitasking - only ever do one important thing at a time
- eat the big ugly frog - do the single most difficult and important thing FIRST every day
How can we train ourselves to focus more?
- meditation - www.samharris.org/podcast/item/mindfulness-meditation
- planning and goal setting - www.amazon.com/Legendary-Life-Motivation-Confidence-Authentic/dp/099634022X/