Pay attentionfocusconcentrateprioritizeEasy to say but hard to do when so much is vying for your attention. What makes it so hard to master these basic concepts?
Have you ever stopped to consider how much is fighting for your attention? Just picture for a moment:
Opening a website page
–pop-up dialogs springing into view
–boxes of ads and comments lining the sides of the pages
–multiple colors screaming out at you
Driving down the freeway
–billboards, high and low,
–radio ads interrupting the traffic report
–your cellphone ringing
Watching your favorite television show
–Floating announcements advertising other shows
–Information strips scrolling weather updates and political announcements
All of that is before you get to the office. The frenetic pace continues as deadlines loom and you cope with constant interruptions. End results are often that you have to work late, bring work home with you, or come in early. You become tired and stressed, which makes it even more difficult to focus.
I read of one person who would leave the office and go...