Attention is a limited commodity*.
The ability to focus on one task is (it seems) becoming increasingly rare.
Whether this is when you meet with someone to connect, or in training or a physical pursuit.
However, we know attention is powerful. It makes connection possible, allows us to develop skills and maintain direction.
So, to get “good” at something, we can recognise that it is worthwhile making sure we have cultivated the ability to hold attention.
We have a few steps.
Firstly, understand that attention can be trained. In a way, it is a skill. We can consciously change the activity levels in different parts of our brain. Meditation, for example, has been shown to decrease activity in the “default mode” network (DMN), which is linked to the “wandering mind.**”
Second, we can consciously limit distractions, so that it is easier to return to the task at hand. Social media, for example, has literally been designed to draw us in, away from what we are doing through the dopamine response. We can use tools such as “Newsfeed Eradicator” for Facebook, BlockSite, or create habits around effective use to ensure that our other tasks maintain priority. Leaving the phone at home when you go on a date is a great example of this. It just makes life easier.
Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, it is clear. If you are distracted, checking your phone, “not present,” it is incredibly clear. This means that we now have to answer the question: If we aren’t going to make a conscious choice to hold attention and develop this skill, are we OK with everyone around us seeing this? Are we OK that we aren’t giving our attention to the skill, or task, or our work, that we know we value so highly?
*When commodities are limited, their value goes up. Supply and demand.
** Meditation leads to reduced default mode network activity beyond an active task. Garrison KA1, Zeffiro TA, Scheinost D, Constable RT, Brewer JA.
