3 ordinary tools that extraordinarily support focus and flow
Creativity, productivity, meaning, sense of purpose and freedom. We want these, but overwhelm can make them hard to grasp. That’s because, these days, focus and flow are so elusive.
Why having focus and experiencing flow are so elusive
We’ve been taught wrong, and the leaders of today are trying to get us to unlearn what research is now showing, which is that…
Multitasking as being productive, or as a superpower, is a myth. Single-tasking is what allows you to pay full attention to something, get clarity, work through problems to completion, generate more energy, and feel deeply satisfied.
“Can I interrupt you for a quick moment?” No! It takes 23 minutes to get back into focus after an interruption. That’s a lot of time. With continuous interruptions throughout the day - do you know that Americans touch their phones on average 144 times a day?? - it’s a miracle that we get anything done.
Boredom is bad? Truth is, we need a lot more “boredom” in our day to give space to our own creative and critical thinking. This space has been co-opted by our devices. Screens shrink our attention span, our ability to be content in ourselves, and to remember (let alone go deeper into) what’s important to us.
There’s a dystopian novel called The Space Merchants published in 1952 about a future where individuals are implanted with brain tabs that emit periodic beeps that distract them from deep or critical thinking. We may not have literal implants in our brains at the moment, but technology has long become extensions of our body, going wherever we go; the notifications and continuous social feed, text, and email check-ins feel too similar to this horrifying, dystopian idea.
It’s not tech that’s the issue. The issue is our ability to take command over it, our ability to have it serve us rather than the other way around. We have the power to put it in service instead of command mode. Here are three powerful tools you can leverage to do just that.
1. Calendar: pay yourself first
You know those days when you feel inspired, plan, and organize, and it feels good? You’re basking in possibility.
It’s the follow-through that’s so hard, isn’t it? There’s just so much on your plate, and you’re exhausted by the time you find a moment to do anything to move the needle on those plans.
The stress and anxiety you live with is the gap between your dreams and ‘reality.’ In reality, you have to pick up your kids, do things for your family, do your taxes, do laundry, take care of your aging parents, and finish that project for the job that provides you with health insurance and a paycheck. All important things, and as real as they are, they aren’t any more real than your dreams.
In the world of money, you’ve got your savings (hopefully) and your expenses. Both are important.
Your savings provide you with security and freedom to live on your terms and also with increased ability to give to others.
Your expenses reflect the experiences you’ve said yes to in your life: a place to live in with heat and air conditioning, your internet connection, streaming subscriptions, continuing education, vacation, meals, entertainment, gifts and donations. Payment is an energy exchange representing reciprocation and value for yourself as well as to the provider.
Pay yourself first. Determine how much to save first, and then divvy up the rest to go anywhere you want. Done the other way around, there’s usually not enough money left to save.
In the context of your life:
Your dreams are your savings, your security and freedom. They are what makes you happy, buoyant, and feeling on top of the world, which improves your digestion, mood, energy, relationships, and overall health.
Your to-dos are your expenses; important energy exchanges between you and the world around you, and they can deplete you if you don’t choose wisely.
Pay yourself first. Calendar in your time first, otherwise, like money, when you do it the other way around, there’s usually not any energy left.
You may not know exactly what you want your life to look like, but you do have hints from your day. You know what makes you happy because you’ve experienced days and moments like those, and you’ve had recurring daydreams about things, i.e. becoming a writer, or helping others conquer something you’ve learned to conquer.
Do what’s most important to you when you have the most energy in your day. Block off that time on your calendar.
Look at your calendar as a reminder from your past wise Self, the architect of your life, telling you that what you scheduled in is what you must do to live a fulfilled life.
Calendaring is a tool that helps to override inconsistency based on mood and motivation level. You no longer have to rely on “feeling motivated.” Simply adopt the attitude that it’s scheduled, I’m doing it. The irony is, the more you do this, the more motivation will come.
Also, constantly trying to figure out what you’re going to do next and renegotiating with your mood is not how you want to spend your creative energy. Instead, use it where it really matters. By calendaring, the wise, all-knowing part of YOU already created space for it.
2. DND, or Do Not Disturb: remove those brain tabs.
When you’re doing what’s important to you, do these two things:
Put your devices on Do Not Disturb. You might even want to put a Do Not Disturb: Important Work in Progress sign on your doorknob and close the door. Communicate in advance with your household what this means and how important this is to you.
Turn off Notifications. This one actually applies not just to when you’re doing something important, but all day. There are only one or two notifications you might need to have turned on, ever. For me, it’s the app to the airline that I’m flying while traveling so that I know when there’s a flight delay or a gate change. The second are my texts, which go silent when I put my phone on Do Not Disturb. I DECIDE WHEN to check my emails and every other app, not the other way around. Oh, and I don’t want to leave this out: when working from your browser, reduce the number of tabs you have open and learn to use the bookmarks feature instead.
3. Timers and alarms: stay present
Aside from the power options to turn Notifications Off and go on Silent Mode, there are two other Best Features on your phone that can serve you well: your alarm and timer.
The alarm -
To prepare for the next day, I look at my calendar the evening before. I set alarms for when I need to get ready to leave the house or hop on a call. I give myself anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes depending on the location of event and amount of prep needed. This way I don’t use up mental bandwidth or disrupt my flow by constantly looking at the clock and rehashing my readiness. This allows me to stay fully present with whatever I’m doing now.
The timer -
You can decide, for instance, if you’ve scheduled yourself to meditate for 20 minutes or write for an hour, to set your timer accordingly. This allows you to immerse yourself in your activity until the alarm goes off. It’s easier to stay focused and in flow when you’re not constantly looking at your clock to see how much more time you have. If your phone tends to win the attention battle and you simply can’t have the phone in the room with you, you can use an egg timer or the timer on your microwave instead.
Give these a try. They can reduce anxiety, confusion, and offer life changing results. Calendar your time to pay yourself first. Turn off notifications, set those timers, and give yourself a chance to focus and flow. You will serve others by becoming a living example of healthy boundaries and well-being. Calendar the other important things next: your family, work, and anything else that’s super important to you. You might set timers for these as well so you don’t go into depletion overtime. Calendar play time with friends and wellness check-ups with your doctors and practitioners. We normally put our phones away during our doctor’s appointments. Similarly, do that for your friends. Fun, aka flow, happens better that way.
Take command. Create this space to be present and flow in all that you do. Your peace matters.
Love, Savitree
P.S. Below is my gift to you: Your Calendaring Guide. While you can figure it out without it - I mean, calendars have been around for a long time - this is something I put together in hopes that it will help you dramatically cut down your learning curve and get you experiencing your day the way you want to.
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