Did you know that the average person checks email once every 5 minutes? Plus, it takes 64 seconds to resume the previous task after checking email. In other words, we typically waste one out of every six minutes just checking email (International Journal of Information Management). As humans, we are used to multitasking and are inherently prone to distraction. We often find ourselves doing multiple tasks at once: eating while eating with Netflix playing in the background, responding to texts and emails, and listening to family conversations. And living in a society that values productivity, it’s normal to feel a sense of accomplishment after completing all of these tasks at once.
Unfortunately, multitasking is actually a myth, and there’s no such thing as a good multitasker.skater. You may be able to get the job done, but research has shown that multitasking, or more specifically “task switching”, negatively impacts your performance, accuracy, and mood.
Mindfulness researcher Dr. Amishi Jha explains that attention is like a flashlight.When you point it, it becomes brighter, highlighted, and more noticeable. However, you can only have one flashlight (despite what you think). And one flashlight can only illuminate one thing at a time. Even though you think you’re multitasking during the day, you’re actually just switching your attention from task to task. If you switch tasks frequently,In a state of focused attention, conscientiousness can be reduced.
This results in slower work, more mistakes, and mental exhaustion.
So how can practicing mindfulness help you become more alert and less easily distracted? To pay attention (Jon Kabat-Zinn). Initial mindfulness training focuses primarily on learning how to sustain attention on a single object, such as breathing. This will help you develop the skills to pay attention, be alert, recognize when your mind wanders, and take a step back from your thoughts and random reactions. Ultimately, mindfulness allows you to check in with your attention more often, giving you the freedom to choose where your mind goes next. Learn to slow down and realize that doing more doesn’t mean faster or better results, and focus your energy on the one thing that will bring better results.
To get started, here are some actionable mindfulness tips to increase your alertness.
1) Non-negotiable
When setting your daily to-do list, focus on one non-negotiable task per day. The power of choosing one priority is that it naturally guides your actions by forcing you to organize your life around that one responsibility. That way, your priority becomes an “anchor task” that anchors you for the rest of the day (James Clear, Atomic Habits).
2) Mental push ups
Consider scheduling simple mental “push-ups” throughout the day to increase your alertness. Mental push-ups are a concentration exercise that focuses, notices, and repeats (Amishi Jha). First, choose the sensation of breathing that is most noticeable to you (the coolness of the air moving in and out of your nostrils, the rise and fall of your chest or abdomen, anything that is noticeable). Use this sensation as your “target” and focus solely on this sensation for the entire pushup (how long you can decide for yourself). Then notice that your mind wanders away from this “goal” and as soon as you notice it, return your attention to this particular goal.
3) Be kind to yourself
It’s easy to blame yourself for losing focus, not completing your to-do list, or not having a productive day. But you’re only human, so you’re allowed to rest and be kind to yourself. When you’re feeling overwhelmed and having a hard time paying attention, a simple loving phrase like “May you be well, may you be happy, may you have peace” can go a long way. As you begin to cultivate loving-kindness towards yourself, you will notice a change in the way you value yourself and how you spend your time doing the things that matter most to you.
If you take a step back and take the time to develop the powerful skill of mindfulness within yourself, you can observe what is going on in your mind and notice where your attention is going from moment to moment. When you are distracted, you can: It bounces easily and well.
“Stop measuring days by productivity and start measuring days by presence.” – Alan Watts
