THE POWER OF FOCUS by Evelyn Jimenez Saint
Each day we face hundreds of messages by WhatsApp, by (fake and real) news, YouTube videos, and television series… Our focus is on overload!
If you get up each morning and think negatively of your day, you will have a negative day. If you get up each morning with enthusiasm and gratitude, you will have a great day. Where will your focus go? If you let your attention jump like a rabbit from one thing to another, with no plan, with no intention, you will have an unproductive day. You may be busy, but the question follows… is your day productive?
Our focus is one of our most personally powerful tools if we choose to use it wisely. So many things are calling for our attention, and it is easy to lose focus. Focus is an essential mental discipline, and those who harness it with purpose will achieve better levels of well-being and reach more goals.
How can we improve our focus?
We must start with its definition: Focus is the action and consequence of focusing. It is guiding the attention towards a matter, problem or situation with anticipation with the aim of resolving it in a correct way.
How can you take the right actions if you are not clear about your focus?
The first challenge of focus is to clearly define what you want. Your actions and attitudes are a reflection of your priorities. If you want to change your actions and attitudes you need to rethink your priorities. What is really important for you? When your goals are clear, it will be much easier to focus on actions that will help you to advance in your personal goals instead of distracting yourself unnecessarily.
Define the intention of your focus. To study? To do certain activities? Improve your health? Organize your life? Care for your marriage… your children? Write a goal for each area in which you have responsibilities. To keep focused, keep your goals, values, and priorities on a piece of paper and keep it on hand at your night table, to review each day.
Keeping your focus on your priorities will reduce your stress, improve your well-being, and raise your efficiency.
Ask yourself these questions:
What is important to me that I have neglected lately?
What important things am I avoiding by wasting endless hours in front of a screen? Am I willing to limit my use of the Internet and television to work on my priorities?
What small habits and steps can I include in my daily life that will advance my life toward my priorities?
“Always remember, your focus determines your reality”, wrote George Lucas in Star Wars.
Proverbs 4:25-26 NIV says “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.”