How to stay laser focused with a task at hand
We live in a somewhat rural part of San Diego. I enjoy growing fruit trees and anything that bears fruit. I figure if I am going to water them, I ought to get something I can eat out of the effort and expense. Well, with rural living come gophers. While they serve a useful function in loosening the soil, they raise havoc on my produce.
Solution: Cats. Outside cats. Cats stalk and eat gophers. There are a few purposes for cats that I enjoy. This is one. (No cat jokes here!)
If you have ever watched cats stalk a gopher or bird or other small critters (and sometimes other cats in play) their focus is inspiring. Their whole being is intent on the action. So intent are they on the task that they are oblivious to what is going on around them. (Want some fun?) Quietly sneak up on a stalking cat with a rolling video and spook them. (The video might go viral!)
Great athletes play their game in the same fashion. Baseball outfielders are often so focused on the path of the ball, they will collide with the outfield wall in chasing a fly ball. So, too, are football receivers as they run their pass routes. It is the capacity for sharp focus that makes them great.
Focus is a learned skill. People who listen well have a great capacity to focus on the conversation. Various professions will get into a zone where their focus allows them to accomplish effectively the task at hand.
Action Time!
To help develop the focus skill, lie down for a few minutes and try to focus on your breathing. Might sound odd, maybe even dumb, but check it out. Lay down someplace quiet and quietly breathe. Focus your mind on the in and out of just breathing. The goal here is to go for thirty seconds, maybe a minute without allowing your mind to wander. You can’t think on the test you are having today or the argument you have with your sibling or the date you have tonight. Now, if you focus too well, you might just go to sleep! So there is the challenge. See how you do.
To help develop the skill of focusing, as a thought goes through your mind, label it and let it go. Say it is about a date later today, label it, ”Date thought” and go back to focusing on your breathing. No harm done. When the next thought about something other than breathing comes, label it as well. Back to breathing focus. Goal here is to train your brain to quickly recognize and eliminate distractions as they come and focus on the task you want to accomplish.
Another way to focus your attention is to focus on a task and when a distraction comes, make a small mark on a piece of paper. This is another way to identify the distraction and go back to focus. The recording isn’t to generate a guilt trip on how big time you blow focusing (that would be pretty dumb for something as insignificant as focusing on breathing!). The goal is gaining control of your thoughts, identifying distractions and getting back on task. That is focus. Check it out. Try either of these two every day for a few weeks and see it you can’t reduce the number of mental distractions you experience during the exercise. See if it doesn’t impact your listening and concentration skills. If you are journaling, make a note of your progress over a month and treat yourself for gains.
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The opinions voiced in this material are for general information and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.
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