Intentional Attention

Intentional Attention

Driving on the highway the other day, my husband noted how distracting (and potentially dangerous) these new video billboards are. Marketers and advertisers must get increasingly creative about competing for our attention amidst all the “noise” competing for it. And it’s not just advertising. Smartphones generally and social media platforms specifically are designed with the single goal of grabbing and holding our attention for as long as possible. According to a quick Google search, the average person spends 3 hours and 15 minutes on their phone daily, checking it anywhere between 58 to 144 times per day (depending on which article you click on). It is no surprise so many people, if not all of us, struggle with focus and attention.

With so many things competing for our attention and indirectly for our time, how do we pay attention to the wholesome and meaningful things in life? I think the secret lies in “intention”. Being intentional about a few key things can help us stay focused and pay attention to the things that bring meaning to our lives. Here are some suggestions for things we can be more intentional about:

• Clearly articulate your values and beliefs: Knowing what you care about (and not what others are trying to convince you to care about) and what your non-negotiables are will enable you to filter through the clutter.
• Remind yourself of your why: Why do you get up in the morning? Why you are at an event? Why do you care about a specific topic? Why are you paying attention to something and not something else? This gets all the mental cogs moving in the same direction, minimising the impact of distraction.
• Meaningful connections: Spend time investing in and being present with the people you care about. Switch off the distractions. Learn to connect or reconnect with people who matter deeply to you.
• Quit! Yes, this is a strange one to put on the list but being intentional about quitting is vital. I read this quote a while ago and it stuck with me: “Improving your life is not adding more new things to serve you, but it is quitting what no longer does”. Think about what you need to quit for a more meaningful, rewarding life.
• Have fun!!! Not for the sake of the social media post. But for the sake of making memories.
• Be curious: If you don’t want your mind to get old, stay curious. Ask questions, learn for the sake of learning, and learn through experiences and reflections. Be curious about ideas and less about people. Remember “millions saw the apple fall, but Newton asked why” (Bernard Baruch).

This coming week try to be more intentional. Notice what you focus on and see whether it contributes to more glimmers* (Stolen term: a glimmer refers to those magic moments that make our days a little more sparkly).

If you would like to be more intentional about your growth and life, get in touch. You can reach us at info@purposeworks.co.za.

At PurposeWorks we are all about Making You and Your Work Rock. Our focus is on Organisational Health and Design, Employee Centered Culture, Leadership Development and Performance Coaching. For more information on how we can help you create a work environment that rocks, develop a great team, become an inspiring leader or unlock your personal excellence talk to us at info@purposeworks.co.za.