DrDeClutterBlog.com

The scarcest resource is no longer land,
capital, labor or information.
It’s attention.

Do you multitask?

Do you have multiple mobile, desk and other tech-gadgets vying for your attention each moment of the day? Add to that television, radio and more? Are you more – or less – productive? Really, tell the truth!

Researchers at Stanford University found that multitaskers are more easily distracted and less able to ignore irrelevant information than people who do less multitasking.

The big finding is that the more media people use, the worse they are at using any media!

If you’re not getting ahead with all of the best and brightest products on the market, it might be that you need to decide what really works best when and to isolate out your tasks by the hour of the day to stay mindful and focused on one at a time.

“My experience is what I agree to attend to.”
~ William James

The Internet and mobile-mania has countless temptations and distractions, deciding how best to invest your time and attention when you’re online is particularly challenging.

Left to its own devices, your involuntary, “bottom-up” attention system asks, “What’s the most obvious, compelling thing to zero in on here? That e-mail prompt? This colorful ad?” Unfortunately, it’s right up there with “Oooo, that’s shiny! I’ll follow that!”

But, fortunately, we can also shake ourselves awake and use our “top-down” attention system that poses a different question: “What do you want to focus on right now? Ordering that new novel, writing the third chapter of that new novel, then checking the weather report, then making five phone calls, right?” 

It’s far more productive to focus on top-down targets you’ve selected to create the kind of experience you want to invite.

I highly recommend Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life by Winifred Gallagher for more ideas on bringing your attention back to what’s important, and what will be more productive.