Where is Your Focus?

“Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.” – Omar khayyam

We think focus is your most valuable resource. Yet, many individuals willingly give control of their focus to others. This can be in the form of mindlessly scrolling through social media for the next dopamine hit or spending more time searching for something to watch than actually watching it. Time is the only resource which can never be replenished. Once you spend a moment, it can’t be re-invested. 

Life is full of interruptions looking to steal your focus, but concentration is in your control. Perceived inconveniences can induce boredom which manifests into mindless scrolling. Studies show the brain can only pay attention for so long and performs best with a balance of focus and unfocus. Unfortunately, studies also show prolonged social media use leads to greater symptoms of depression and anxiety. The question then becomes: How can you balance the two and maximize these instances of non-focus for betterment? 

Performing small acts of ‘focus control’ is a great way to live in the moment. As you move through your day, engage in concentration check-ins. Treat every moment as invaluable, because it is. A simple approach is to ask yourself, “Where is my focus right now?”. Obviously, screen time and unplanned distractions will always be part of your day. Micro breaks can be beneficial as long as you control their pull (i.e. put a time limit on your social media scrolling). Time-box your break. Once the allotted time is done, shift back into focus mode.

Practical application examples can be self-driven or situational. While stuck in a line, you could read a few pages of your e-book instead of checking your newsfeed. At the coffee shop, you could chat with your co-worker. During a moment of downtime, you could practice the lost art of daydreaming (shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and increase problem-solving). You could meet a friend and not look at your phone once. All of these help give you a break from the chaos of the day while providing self-enhancing benefits.

Maximizing focus and unfocus takes practice. Successfully minimizing distractions takes self control. The path to focus improvement is certainly not linear, but the benefit is a life where you spend your time more intentionally. Spending your time, consistently, for your own benefit. A rich life is one which you reflect upon and are happy with what you see.

Action: Whenever you feel your focus drifting, ask yourself “Where is my focus right now?”. Limit negative distractions.

Further Reading:

Your Brain Can Only Take So Much Focus

Distinct electrophysiological signatures of task-unrelated and dynamic thoughts (i.e. benefits of daydreaming)

Seeing Everyone Else’s Highlight Reels: How Facebook Usage is Linked to Depressive Symptoms

How can we minimize Instagram’s harmful effects?