Coping with feelings of lack of focus
Staying on Track
How common is it for most of us to go to bed feeling there was much more we wanted to get done that day? And how familiar does it sound that the following day we rush around in a burst of energy trying to accomplish stuff and still fall short ? Even as you go about your tasks, armed with a to - do list, do you find yourself pulled in different directions, your mind scattered and racing, feeling overwhelmed ? Welcome to the modern day phenomenon - Living in a state of constant distractions.
Addicted to social media, being constantly connected on email, persistent WhatsApp groups pings, repeated media updates, glued to our smart phones, it is easy to become distracted. Even though they seem to be little time-stealers that snatch five minutes from us here and there, they effectively keep us from being productive and maintaining our momentum.
Feeling Scattered
In a country that celebrates hustling, work for profit and compulsive work culture we need to separate for ourselves the difference between being productive, eventual burn out and doing "busy work". This is entirely subjective and should align to individual goals.
We have to create awareness and boundaries for ourselves. With too many expectations set for ourselves, we need to not let in too much and learn that it is equally important to shut down and slow down too.
Being in the Moment
"There is time enough for everything in the course of the day, if you do but one thing at once, but there is not time enough in the year, if you do two things at a time", Lord Chesterfield is quoted as saying, alluding to the need to focus, undertaking one task at a time and being present in the moment.
Practicing mindfulness has shown that it boosts brain health and keeps us more engaged in the present moment, creating feelings of happiness and freedom from rumination—an activity that usually trends toward the negative.
Overcoming the Universal Overwhelm
"The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention". said Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk and author of the book, The World we have.
As we try to find tools to focus and simplify our lives, there are many steps we can adopt.
Sleep deprivation is a more common that we realize and even though we think we can function at optimum levels without sufficient sleep, eventually if we are constantly distracted we need to ask ourselves are we getting enough quality sleep? Stress and trying to juggle everything can exacerbate insomnia, and sometimes it can be other mental health issues too that might be the contributing factor.
The status and strength of our relationships can also make or break our thought processes.
A break up or an unhealthy relationship can throw us for a loop, tormenting us into obsessive thought patterns, with little room for clear thinking. Repressed emotions and experiences can affect our concentration and contribute to distractions too. Gathering our energy, finding a focus and centering our thoughts by limiting actions and mindful existence is key to a more peaceful and productive Life.
The guardrails of the pandemic have been a wake up call for me. I am determined to clean up my act, find focus, push past the distractions. Multi tasking is not a badge of honor. I pledge to do one task at a time and savor it. This brings me steps closer to centering myself. Do you agree? Have you found different pathways to self discovery that you would like to share on this common platform? Lets unite and find our fulcrum.
We are stronger together
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