Who or what gets your attention?

Hello everyone!

I hope that you have had a good start of the year and that today you are feeling healthy and happy, looking forward to what the day (and the rest of what the week) brings.

This week I would like to reflect on ‘attention’, given a Christmas message exchange that triggered many thoughts for me.?

Have you ever paused and thought about what captures your attention and what does not?

Let’s grow our awareness about what interests us and be more purposeful about where we invest our attention.

About interest and attention

Let’s talk about this magnet, radar or compass that guides and captures your attention… and keeps you ‘hooked’, wanting to discover more about whatever drew your attention.

Lack of interest

Take your mind back to one of those occasions where what you were doing or what was going on around you did not make you feel any interest at all. Recognise the signs when you are disinterested.?

Most people lose focus and are easily distracted: looking physically or travelling in their own minds.?

Time seems to slow down.?

You might even have ‘switched tasks’ mentally and are thinking about other things that you find more interesting.?

Perhaps not only you don’t feel interest, perhaps you feel disinterest, aversion or even irritation or frustration because you’re stuck with something you do not like, while you could be doing something else?

Interest

Contrarily, now take the time to cast your mind over times when you were extremely interested. How different those experiences were.?

You were much more engaged in what you were doing, focussing all your attention on one thing.?

Time seemed to go very quickly. You may even have felt that it was over too soon.

When you are interested in something, it captivates you.?

From the moment that you start enjoying giving your attention, your journey becomes more pleasurable and you are in no hurry for it to end.?

The way you use your attention allows you to notice many more details and nuances. Little hints that would not have met your eye otherwise.

Using Attention?

Does interest “happen”? Is it just aleatory ? Or can you 'make' yourself interested in anything?

There is the expression 'finding' something interesting. Does interest ‘find you’ or can you ‘produce’ it?

Let’s look at some advice to own our attention:

#1 Being Engaged

The shortcut to become interested in something does not involve poking a stick at it half-heartedly or putting any kind of resistance.?

If you are going to do something, be fully engaged. Give it your heart and soul.?

Jump in with both feet and allow yourself to be fascinated with any details that appeal to you.

#2 Learn about the subject?

Make an effort to become knowledgeable in what you are doing.?

You must have heard the saying, "if a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well".?

Learn about what you’re doing, to do your best and be proud of what you accomplish.?

#3 Make Choices

There are many distractions every day and not everything is worthy of your time and attention. It is important to choose.?

Other people have an agenda and will want you to be engaged in what interests them the most. Sometimes, you may allow yourself to become interested in what someone else suggests.?

Be careful and choose wisely where you will put your attention (and why: your employer, family, yourself.. or?)

#4 Listen Carefully

People can be very interesting.?

You can enjoy most people’s company, when you are able to find them interesting. Wake up your curiosity about the fascinating story each person has to tell, just take the time to dig deep enough.

#5 Attention on Demand

When you make the conscious choice of choosing, at any given moment, about what you are interested in and for how long.. When will you ever feel bored again??

Take your day into your hands and enjoy!