May I Have Your Attention, Please? Five Ways To Retain Focus And Stay In The Moment
- Date: 2007-04-30 - Word Count: 506
Share This!
Today many of us frequently feel stuck in overdrive - days crammed with too much to do mixed with an unhealthy dose of frequent distractions, all vying for our attention at the same time. This can cause our minds to be constantly racing which, in turn, can make focusing our attention seem like an impossible task. Is it any wonder we find it difficult to pay attention for more than ten seconds at a time without a sense of dread that we might miss something?
When our attention is spread too thin, we run the risk of putting our relationships in peril. Once others believe you have willingly disregarded their presence, whether intentional or not, your inattentiveness can foster ill-feelings including anger, annoyance or resentment. Whether you find it difficult to remain attentive with customers, peers, family or yourself, the ability to remain connected without daydreaming is possible. So how do you stay present and in the moment? The following are five ways to help keep your head in the game and strengthen your attentiveness skills:
* Practice doing one thing at a time
Whenever possible, do one thing at a time. Whether it's your children describing their day or your partner boosting about a big accomplishment, stop what you are doing and focus solely, giving this person your undivided attention.
* Make contact
As you focus solely on the conversation, make eye contact. You'll find it's difficult to maintain eye contact and multitask at the same time. Listen with your entire being (mind, body, spirit) and show others you are present and completely focused on the conversation - smile, nod, raise your eyebrows, shrug your shoulders, light up your eyes.
* Slow down
Many of us are conditioned to be in a rushed state of mind because we live in a society that demands achievement be attained quickly. This is precisely the reason many of us find it so difficult to concentrate on one thing at a time. In the rush of "doing," the special moments pass us by. Make a commitment to slow down and focus on the here and now.
* Commit yourself
There are conversations we anticipate will progress quickly, and others we know will be time-consuming. When engaged in conversation, commit yourself to the time necessary to complete the dialogue. If you find the time allotted is insufficient to conclude the talk, arrange for a mutually beneficial time to complete the discussion.
* See every interaction as an opportunity to connect
Every contact you have with someone presents an opportunity to connect with that person, to learn a bit more about them. It's important to remember you can choose to relate with others positively or negatively. Whenever you come upon someone, always ask yourself this question - "What will I miss if I choose to tune out?" Listen to your response, and let this guide your actions and your choice.
The ability to remain in the moment is a matter of personal choice. Make a commitment and follow these simple steps and you'll expand your interpersonal skills to new heights of success.
When our attention is spread too thin, we run the risk of putting our relationships in peril. Once others believe you have willingly disregarded their presence, whether intentional or not, your inattentiveness can foster ill-feelings including anger, annoyance or resentment. Whether you find it difficult to remain attentive with customers, peers, family or yourself, the ability to remain connected without daydreaming is possible. So how do you stay present and in the moment? The following are five ways to help keep your head in the game and strengthen your attentiveness skills:
* Practice doing one thing at a time
Whenever possible, do one thing at a time. Whether it's your children describing their day or your partner boosting about a big accomplishment, stop what you are doing and focus solely, giving this person your undivided attention.
* Make contact
As you focus solely on the conversation, make eye contact. You'll find it's difficult to maintain eye contact and multitask at the same time. Listen with your entire being (mind, body, spirit) and show others you are present and completely focused on the conversation - smile, nod, raise your eyebrows, shrug your shoulders, light up your eyes.
* Slow down
Many of us are conditioned to be in a rushed state of mind because we live in a society that demands achievement be attained quickly. This is precisely the reason many of us find it so difficult to concentrate on one thing at a time. In the rush of "doing," the special moments pass us by. Make a commitment to slow down and focus on the here and now.
* Commit yourself
There are conversations we anticipate will progress quickly, and others we know will be time-consuming. When engaged in conversation, commit yourself to the time necessary to complete the dialogue. If you find the time allotted is insufficient to conclude the talk, arrange for a mutually beneficial time to complete the discussion.
* See every interaction as an opportunity to connect
Every contact you have with someone presents an opportunity to connect with that person, to learn a bit more about them. It's important to remember you can choose to relate with others positively or negatively. Whenever you come upon someone, always ask yourself this question - "What will I miss if I choose to tune out?" Listen to your response, and let this guide your actions and your choice.
The ability to remain in the moment is a matter of personal choice. Make a commitment and follow these simple steps and you'll expand your interpersonal skills to new heights of success.
Related Tags: communication, communication skills, listening, focus, listen, interpersonal skills
Joy Fisher-Sykes is a highly sought after expert, professional speaker, author, and success coach in the areas of leadership, motivation, stress management, customer service, and team building. You can e-mail her at mailto:jfsykes@thesykesgrp.com, or call her at (757) 427-7032. Go to her web site, www.thesykesgrp.com/"> www.thesykesgrp.com, and signup for the newsletter, OnPoint, and receive her free motivation ebooks. Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- A Few Of The Skills Of An A Successful Leader
Among the most important factors in determining the result of a group exercise of any style is the m - What Do Leaders Have In Common?
Who are "THEY"?"THEY" are all the top performers -- the best of the best. But what does it take to m - Lms Mentoring - More Fresh Ideas
Simple and effective LMS training on both managerial roles and staff mentoring strategies are a huge - Leadership Training in the 21st Century. How to Bring Your Leadership Training Up to Date
If you're reading this article, you're probably someone responsible for delivering an effective and - How to Create a Leadership Development Plan
HR leadership and executive leadership training both take a lot of practice and motivation. To becom - Six Secrets To Building Your Confidence
If you have seen the movie or stage musical The Sound of Music, you likely remember Maria leaving th - Six Ways To Defeat Complacency
Complacency - and its ill effects - is all around us.Consider politics. Democrats held one Senate se - Getting Back To The Basics Of Problem Solving
Everyone has problems. Big problems, little problems, work problems, relationship problems; pick an - Five Ways To Pick Your Best Development Tools
Personal development.Professional development.Leadership development.Regardless of which words you u - Market Leadership is Extremely Difficult - What You Need to Do to Succeed
Online marketing is becoming increasingly difficult to succeed in as a continuing marketer, nevermin
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Engaging The Five Senses
We were all born with five senses, each one helping us to make generalizations about the world. You - Power Inspires Your Audience
Power is intricately connected to persuasion in that it increases your ability to persuade, influenc - NLP A Personal Development Tool
Like many personal development innovations, NLP - which stands for neuro-linguistic programming - is - Team Building in Bristol
Many employers in Bristol take the vision of their companies very seriously. This is true whether it - Seven Ways to Improve the Results of Your Leadership Development Efforts
Every day we deal with a variety of matters of urgent importance in our organizations. Seldom is lea - Why Most Leadership Development Efforts Fail
George was seen as an up-and-coming leader in the organization. People the worked for him liked and - Occam's Razor And Leadership
PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided at - Leadership In The Workplace As A Boss
Do you give your employees the type of leadership in the workplace that they come to expect? What is - Metal Detecting Is Also About Obedience
Are you purchasing a detector to use occasionally at a lake or beach? Or do you now find yourself wi - Get Courage and Build Unstoppable Strength!
What shape are your courage muscles in? Courage is our ability to act despite fear. What honestly ca