"Be careful. It all depends on attention. Attention is vital, it helps you connect with others and enlightens you, ”said American writer Susan Sontag. In any case, it's not a completely new idea. For thousands of years, Buddhism has referred to the importance of full attention as one of the paths to wisdom and well-being.Full attention, which can also be defined as "awareness", is the ability to concentrate both in the external world and in our inner universe, it is the ability to be fully present and concentrated in the here and now. Stated this way, it sounds like a very simple concept, but it's actually a very difficult skill to develop as we all tend to pay attention up to a certain point.
For example, if you decide to take a walk and focus on the natural landscape around you, it is likely that very soon your mind will get distracted and think about the future, remember something from the past or just fantasize. In fact, it often happens even during a conversation, if someone reminds us of a particular situation, then our mind leaves the conversation and follows other thoughts.
In everyday life, lack of attention becomes a chronic problem, even if most people do not realize it, as it is "normal" to eat while watching TV or texting while being together. partner, with friends or family.
The dangers that distractions contain
The society we live in is getting faster and more convulsive and we run with it, trying to adapt. However, in this rush to nowhere, distractions overwhelm us, making us forget that we should enjoy life. When we try to satisfy every new stimulus that arises, we lose focus and, above all, we fail to appreciate the details.
In this way, we stop enjoying life, lose direction and drift further and further away from happiness. So it is not surprising that problems such as depression, despair and demotivation are more and more frequent. The inability to focus in the here and now, to implement awareness, is also one of the underlying causes of many psychological problems.
Furthermore, a lack of attention and concentration not only harms our performance and affects our psychological well-being, but also prevents us from getting in tune with people. When we are too busy with other things, when we don't focus on interpersonal relationships, they deteriorate and become superficial.
How to learn to focus? The art of learning to eat an orange
1. Take a break. It may seem strange advice, but to improve concentration, the first step is to stop paying attention, take a break from most of the stimuli that constantly invade us and be alone with ourselves. In this way we will be able to find the right concentration.
2. Break down the activities. Most people can keep their attention focused on one activity for an average of 20 minutes. You need to set the time limit during which you can stay focused and, immediately after that, you have to take a break. So you can recharge your batteries and return to the attack with new energy. Plan small steps over a set amount of time, so you will notice the progress made, and the motivation that goes with it will further strengthen attention.
3. Use the environment in your favor. Some people need silence to concentrate, others prefer to play background music, and there are even some who claim to concentrate better in a noisy environment full of people. You must identify the ideal environment that improves your concentration, and that contributes to create all the conditions necessary to make you feel comfortable.
4. Forget multitasking (doing multiple activities at the same time). You can probably do two things at a time and get decent results, but the truth is that this will put you under unnecessary strain and strain. Also, doing only one thing at a time will not only improve your focus, but will also ensure you get better results, finish faster, and enjoy the activity more.
5. Learn to handle interruptions. During the day, interruptions often appear which, like black holes, swallow not only time but also our energy. In these cases it is recommended to apply the three-minute rule. If you can complete the task in no time, do it, otherwise take note and move on. Remember that interruptions affect the pace of work, and it will be difficult to recover later.
6. Immerse yourself in nature. A walk in a natural environment can improve our memory and attention. However, to take advantage of these benefits it is convenient to learn to immerse yourself in nature while leaving modern technology at home. You have to start the walk with the eyes of a small child, paying attention to sounds and details, because behind every curve there is a new wonder to discover.
7. Breathe. Breathing helps us to synchronize all the functions of our body and boosts full attention. When you breathe deeply, concentrating only on the movements of inhalation and exhalation, you come into close contact with your "I", and become aware of your body. So when you can't find the right focus, take a few minutes and start breathing.
8. Meet a state of fluidity. You can force your attention to concentrate on activities that do not interest you, but ultimately, in these cases you will maintain a rather poor concentration and only for a short period of time. Therefore, the ideal would be to encounter the state of fluidity, an experience in which you completely immerse yourself in the activity and disconnect yourself from external distractions. The key is to choose the most motivating activities, those things that really interest you and allow you to grow.
9. Choose distractions wisely. Our mind keeps track of everything that happens around us, but that doesn't mean that all stimuli can turn into distractions that divert our attention. For example, any noise could distract us. However, we can always decide whether the noise will bother us or not. If you get angry about the noise, then it will become a distraction. On the contrary, if you breathe slowly and repeat to yourself: “I heard the noise, but it didn't bother me, I go back to doing what I was doing calmly” you will significantly reduce the negative effect on concentration.
10. Enjoy the here and now. It is a skill we had as children but which we have lost. However, to improve concentration and our psychological well-being, learning to focus on the present is essential. Imagine that you are holding an orange, you can eat it while thinking about other things, while talking to someone or while watching TV. However, you can also decide to look at it, appreciate its texture and smell, and eat it slowly. The experience will be completely different.
Remember that attention and concentration are a valuable tool that helps us to know ourselves better and understand the world and the people around us. Don't let the frenzy of everyday life rob you of this extraordinary ability.
