Your Attention Please - How to Get the RIGHT Things Done
How many things over the course of a day try to grab your attention? Is it tens of things, hundreds? Maybe even thousands. There is no shortage of people, devices, or marketers trying to grab our attention away from what we really need to concentrate on. I have shared my thoughts on how the term focus can be misused in the past. I have also shared why focus is so important. Our attention to something plays right into that.Is there anything we can do to ensure that as leaders we can maintain our attention on what is most important? Absolutely. Your attention is just like a muscle - with exercise, practice, and patience it can be strengthened and your attention span expanded.Here are some ideas on how to begin strengthening your attention span to get more of what you want to do, done.
Exercise
It seems amazing how many times this comes into play for different reasons. But exercise does have many benefits. By having a regular routine for exercise you accomplish a couple of different things that will help with your attention. The willpower and choice of doing your exercise routine shows you can do something that may not seem like a lot of fun initially, but by persevering you know it will provide many benefits. I have always found, even on days when I don’t want to get on the treadmill, that when I have completed even a short workout that I feel better, my mind is more clear, and I have additional energy to spend on the things I want to get done in the day ahead. I almost always do my workout in the morning for that reason.Exercise, while stimulating for your physical self, is an excellent way to relax your mental self. Have you ever had the answers to a challenge ‘pop’ into your mind while walking or running? Going for that morning walk or run can have more positive outcomes than just getting fit.
Work in Short Bursts
There are many different names for the technique of working in short bursts and then taking a break. Probably the most common is the pomodoro technique. Without getting into too many details, this methodology sets specific periods of time to work uninterrupted and then take a short break. Those time periods will vary from individual to individual, but it does help to establish a time frame where you know you are dedicated to work, with permission already given to take a break and do whatever you want or need to. I have even found that changing the times based on the work I am doing helps. I can ensure I get into a good workflow for bigger projects and choose to provide myself more frequent breaks for work that I find monotonous.
Write Things Down
The act of writing can serve many different purposes when trying to protect your attention. I would recommend keeping a pad of paper near your workspace at all times. This allows you to capture any quick thoughts that jump into your mind while you are working on something unrelated. You could be working on a presentation for your business only to have that vacation spot you were thinking about last week pop into your head. Instead of shifting to a different website ‘so you don’t forget’, write it down and on your next break, visit your list of ‘ideas’ during that time.If you are going into a conversation or meeting where your attention will be critical, jot some notes down ahead of time. What questions do you hope to get answered during the discussion or meeting? By having those already captured ahead of time, you can spend more of your time listening for the answers instead of trying to keep your questions in the front of your mind to ask later. This can also ensure that you are able to keep your attention on the discussion and group instead of trying to think of a ‘good’ question during the meeting.
Practice Pauses
The wheels are turning, you can see it in their eyes. That is the sign that someone is processing the information they have heard. Taking some time to allow that process to complete can be important to ensure you get the most out of your opportunity with the individual. Challenge yourself to do the same and know that it is okay to process the information and pause before jumping into a response or question. By doing so, you are more likely to provide a more thoughtful answer, a more thought-provoking question, or reinforce an important point that you want to recall at a later time.As we continue to engage more and more with multiple devices and the pace of the day seems to continually increase, it is critical for every leader to develop their skills of attention. Those that are able to block out distractions when necessary will be the ones that get more done, stay more engaged, and create innovative ideas for growth in the future.What else do you do to help maintain your attention span? Share your thoughts in the comments section.Photo by Walter Walraven on Unsplash