Your Attention Span Is Worth More Than Diamonds

Think back to a night you spent in deep study, trying to solve some problem, cramming for an exam, or otherwise stretching your mind to its limits in an effort to get something done. There is something truly magical about that state of focus, some call it a flow state, that lets us tap into some superpower that we have deep down inside all of us. Sometimes in those moments we have sudden insights of clarity where the solution reveals itself to us, almost instantaneously and without any logical explanation.

There is something special about the power of human concentration.

Yet now we live in a world that is increasingly trying to encroach and rob us of that ability to focus. Our phones and computers send notifications our way the instant someone needs something from us. We are inundated with dings and pings letting us know some fresh news hit our feeds and it take a serious effort to put ourselves in an environment where these distractions silence themselves.

What we don’t realize is that the constant robbing of our attention is preventing us from ever entering that genius state, one we scarcely find outside extended periods of focus and concentration. In fact while it may take us 20 minutes or more to truly enter our “flow state”, or “genius state” as I call it, we can be snapped out of it in an instant with a single distraction. Only to set back the clock for when we will really be able to focus again on the task at hand in a way that is uniquely attuned to efficiency and genius.

Before we really think about this it can be easy to not think much of it, to never really realize what it is that we are missing out on, or to not understand that there is an incredibly empowered version of ourselves waiting to be unleashed should we choose to discipline ourselves and lean on our gifts. So what should we do to exercise our brains in a way that helps us concentrate and develop an attention span capable of accomplish great things?

There is one simple thing that I have used in my life to increase my focus and attention span all day. One thing that I use daily to attune myself to extended periods of focus and to install a calm in my mind that can last all day.

I wake up before anyone else needs me for anything and I spend at least 1 hour every morning silently focusing on something creative or inspiring to me. My phone is off and I’m not looking at it until this period of time is up and I am ready to engage with the world. This usually takes the form of reading a book or writing something, but it may be playing music or meditating also.

By taking this hour in the beginning of the day without distractions I am priming myself to maintain that level of intention and focus throughout the day. When I do this I am noticeably calmer, more focused, more patient, more insightful, and more productive.

So give it a shot and find what works for you, and let me know what you learn about yourself in the process!

By Warren Steury