How to reclaim your focus
Switching off your device might be a good start
Think.
I’m writing this edition as much for myself as you.
There are too many times when I think to myself, why am I spending so much time on my phone? I’m putting something off, bored perhaps, looking for inspiration.
I know it’s not good for me. I’m sure there’s an addictive element to it too.
So, I ask myself, what can I do to use my devices more intentionally.
Here’s what helps:
Set it aside when I’m looking to do deep work. In a drawer, in another room.
Delete social media apps – this has been a game-changer for me.
Avoid content that brings you down.
Keep a track of usage.
Be clear that you don’t expect people to use them in key moments, like meetings or a family dinner, unless there’s an emergency.
Focus on one task at a time.
These are all tactics. They help to reclaim the space to focus, to explore, to live.
Go deeper too. Dig into what’s driving you to distraction. Ask yourself:
What are you searching for? What soothing do you feel you need? What or who are you avoiding?
Do the work. It’s worth it.
When we develop more of this self-awareness and self-regulation we create the conditions for us to grow, as people and as leader.
Listen.
Richard Cytowic, author of Your Stone Age Brain in the Screen Age, talks with me in my Lancefield on the Line podcast (listen here) about the impact of device (and screen) addiction and describes what it takes to build healthier relationships.
He tell us that our brains have a fixed bandwidth of energy and do not function optimally when multitasking.
Each interruption - whether an email ping or a quick chat - requires up to 11 minutes to refocus.
Excessive screen use - even in business settings- induces an addiction-like response in the brain. He encourages us to find silence and enjoy nature to nurture our brain health.
You can watch the episode here:
Visualise.
I’m just back from taking my son on an adaptive skiing trip to Les Gets, France. Apart from the challenge of finding him and my wife decent vegan food – that’s another story – it was an opportunity to take in the beauty all around me.
It would have been easy to miss it, as strange as that might sound. There was plenty to organise, lots of people to navigate, and his care to focus on.
But I consciously took a moment, often at the top of a piste, to close my eyes, breathe in the fresh air, open them and marvel at the stunning French alps. It felt like a rush of goodness.
You don’t have to be skiing or in the mountains to do it either. There’s so much beauty around us, every day that we ignore as we sit in our heads or focus on the immediate task.
Read.
I’m reading "Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop" by Hwang Bo-Reum. It follows the journey of Yeongju, a woman who decides to start a new chapter in her life.
She quits her job, divorces her husband, and opens a bookshop in the quiet neighbourhood of Hyunam-dong, Seoul. Initially struggling with her new venture, Yeongju gradually transforms the bookstore into a sanctuary for herself and the community.
It speaks to what we need for ourselves – some place we can feel safe, welcome, part of something. It might be at home, at work, or in our community.
Reading the book is challenging me to think about the role I play in each of these places – and what I can do to make it feel better, especially for those who need a lift.
Challenge yourself.
Find a time today – yes, today – to be silent.
Turn off your device.
Get a grip of your breathing.
Pick a comfortable place.
Get outside, if you can.
Focus on something or someone good.
See where it takes you.
"Silence is an essential nutrient. Without it, we become overwhelmed and unable to think clearly”, Richard Cytowic.
Strategy Shift.
Recently, my YouTube channel passed the 1,000-subscriber mark. Thanks to those of you have already subscribed for your support!
It’s place where I collate short and long form videos on topics I hope people like you – senior executives, founders, management thinkers, advisors, and coaches – will find something useful. It might be:
How to practise strategy every day.
Strategy shorts (stories), bringing to life concepts in real-life situations I’ve encountered.
Wisdom from guests on my Lancefield on the Line podcast - designing bold strategies, supercharging innovation, developing leaders, and living their best lives.
Tips on how to improve your impact as a leader.
Take a look, and let me know if there are topics or situations you’d like me to cover.
***
That’s all for this edition. Thanks for your interest, encouragement, and inspiration.
Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
