Learn The Fine Art Of Concentration
I am finally settled in my living room after what seemed like a busy day; only that it wasn’t really. I brew my coffee, as I get ready for an evening class for a course I am taking online. As it has happened so many other times before, I open Instagram before opening my notes. Thirty. Minutes. Into. It; Oops! I am late. I didn’t mean to check out Instagram. I swear! It’s almost like I am on autopilot.
This happens to me a lot. Whenever I am busy doing what you would consider a more important task, I almost always find myself distracted and this distraction leads to Instagram 75% of the time. I don’t open it because I need to; I have absolutely no use for the app in that moment. It’s almost like my fingers have learnt one task and one task alone. If they ever are to find their way on my phone, it’s like someone whispered they are to only open this photo app. Strictly.
Distraction is a common challenge for a lot of us. I have caught myself having wasted 30 minutes that should have been used on a more productive task. Does that ever happen to you? You just harmlessly and casually open your favorite social media app only to realize it’s been an hour of scrolling the feed? Don’t you just hate it? I hate myself every damn time! I used to think I was vain. I couldn’t get why I just can’t be disciplined about it!
So here is the problem. We have mastered distraction better than we have mastered the fine art of concentration. I dare say, it’s not even your fault! Nobody teaches us concentration hence we don’t practice it. It’s a skill that needs to be learned.
What is concentration you ask? It is the ability to keep your awareness on one thing for an extended period of time.
So how do your learn this fine art? You do so by exercising your willpower. Given, we cannot really control our minds. What we can do however is control where our awareness goes within our mind. If you find yourself distracted, use your will power to bring your awareness back to the task at hand. For you to become good at concentration, you have got to practice it. Specialists have said “ the best way to become good at something is by taking a tool and inserting it into a reoccurring event in your life.”
Today choose to exercise concentration. Pick a person or an activity that you will give your undivided attention. Whenever you are speaking to this person give them full attention. Do so over an extended period of time. If it is an activity, focus on it and it alone; carry it out to completion. Do this everyday and within a couple of months you will be better at concentrating than you are at getting distracted!
I have always struggled with concentrating. With the above new knowledge, I adopted this very conscious approach and since; I have experienced tremendous improvement and overall productivity. So like today, I caught myself getting distracted and I shifted my awareness back to studying. Practice this. You can only become better.
Written by Grace Muriuki
