Being
a fully engaged leader takes focus on the physical, emotional, mental, and
spiritual aspects of our lives. As you saw in my last posts, I do well with
the physical
aspects. However, I’d give myself a B on the mental aspect; I can be easily
distracted at times, especially when procrastinating on a project. When this
happens, I have to consciously slow myself down to focus on the task at hand.
Mental energy
is the energy of laser focus. It’s hallmark quality in humans is the capacity
to be fully present. Not just physically present, but cognitively present as
well. The Corporate Athlete® course by
the Human Performance Institute teaches that full engagement requires
complete presence, investing our full and best energy, right here, right now.
The good news is that this ability can be acquired.
I’ve invited
expert Tom Ward, founder, and principal of NextLevel, to help me explain the
importance of mental energy and how to improve it.
Does Multitasking Work?
Have you ever
tried carrying on a meaningful conversation with your significant other, child,
or best friend while watching TV? Were either of you distracted by the TV? Did
either of you become annoyed by the other’s distraction by the TV? In this
situation, what are you saying to the other person when you become distracted
by the TV? That the TV program is more important than the conversation and/or
the person you are conversing with?
One cardinal
rule regarding multitasking is: don’t multitask when people, safety, or
important matters are at hand. Relationships and outcomes both improve when we
focus our attention on one thing at a time. Yet, as we all know, multitasking
isn’t always detrimental. For example, folding laundry while watching TV seems
just fine. The key is to train ourselves to know when it’s not okay.
How to Become More Focused
What are some
effective techniques for cultivating greater presence and focus?
High on the
list are meditation, journaling, visualization, and yoga. If you’ve never tried
meditating, you might be surprised by its coincident ease and difficulty.
Using Meditation to Become More Focused
Let’s start
with meditation. Here is what Tom Ward has to say about using meditation to
become more focused:
Try the
following. In a quiet room, sit comfortably in a straight-backed chair. Close
by, set a kitchen or smartphone timer for three minutes. With your feet on the
floor and hands in your lap, start the timer and gently close your eyes. Bring
your attention to your breath. Observe your breath as you inhale and exhale.
Don’t attempt to manage your breathing; simply observe it. When your attention
wanders from concentrating on your breathing (and it will), simply acknowledge
that it has wandered and gently return your attention to it once again. When
the timer goes off, open your eyes, and answer these questions:
·
What did it
feel like to meditate?
·
Was it easy
or difficult?
·
How many
times did your attention wander from your breath?
·
Was it easy
to return your attention to your breath?
I’ve been meditating off and on for many years, and sometimes I find that my concentration just wanders more than normal. And, it’s not always easy for me to return my attention to the ebb and flow of my normal breathing. Darned monkey mind!
As
challenging as meditation can be at times, I find it particularly helpful in
calming my mind and body. I’m more focused, sleep better and feel more alert
when I wake. Another bonus I’ve discovered is that my workouts tend to be
better when I’ve meditated earlier in the day.
Using Journaling to Become More Focused
Journaling
can also help you stay focused because it helps you release the chatter from
your brain. While journaling can mean writing for 20 minutes at a time on a
regular basis, that may be too much for busy leaders who are learning this
skill. Here are some ideas to clear your mind if journaling is new for you:
·
When you feel
your mind getting full, grab paper and pen or pencil and just write down
everything on your mind (research indicates writing with a pen/pencil tends to
make the thoughts written more “real” by engaging multiple areas of the brain
simultaneously). This brain dump then helps clear your mind so you can focus on
the task at hand. Once the task is complete, then go back and sort the brain
dump into your priority lists for the next week.
·
If words are
not your preferred choice of expression, doodle or draw pictures on paper or a
tablet instead. This is known as a visual brain dump. If you find yourself
enjoying this, then get some markers, sharpies, and other colorful tools to
help you clear your brain regularly.
·
If you’re a
hands-on person, Tubers
and Zots and Legos are fun ways to clear your head while physically
engaging your hands. It is also a great way to engage others in the office
kitchen or community room. People love to pick these things up and mindlessly
play with them as a way to give their brain a break!
·
Are you a
musical person? Then use musical apps or tools to clear your mind.
Go ahead and
try any and all of these tools at your own pace. The goal is not to become
overwhelmed with focus exercises; that will only lead to more distraction, and
an even longer to-do list. Instead, find the best tool for clearing your mind,
and practice it regularly to build your skills at staying present and focused.
Remember, the
key to being fully engaged mentally is learning to manage your mental energy.
Doing one thing at a time is a great start. Cultivating a skill to calm the
mind on a regular basis will help you engage your full leadership.
Next week, we
will discuss managing spiritual energy, which is fed by our physical, emotional,
and mental energy sources. Your spiritual energy will give you the force you
need to live and lead the life you want.
In the
meantime, have you had success with meditation, journaling, or yoga? Is there
an activity you can point to that has made a drastic improvement in your
ability to remain focused?
Image from Tony Bustos, The
Arizona Republic
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