Practice Paying Attention

We live in the age of distractions.

Texting, surfing, and multitasking have become a way of life. Unfortunately, listening, focusing, and staying engaged are on a downward turn.

It's cool to text in the middle of a busy meeting. Suddenly you're connecting with someone outside the drab meeting and really enjoying yourself. You can read your e-mail while you're on the phone, or text while you're driving. You can do so much more now than any person could have done just 10 years ago.

...and that's part of the problem.

Folks don't really listen, they don't really hear, and they certainly don't comprehend what is being said. All of this actually hurts productivity a great deal.

The tools aren't the problem. It's our inability to stay focused in the moment that hurts performance. All of the modern electronic technology devices and social networking tools are similar to the old-fashioned Cracker Jack Box. There's bound to be a good surprise in there somewhere and so we keep dismissing the topic of the moment to search inside our iPhones, Blackberrys, computers, and so on.

Practice staying focused on one thing at a time.

The individual who can stay focused over an extended period of time has a far greater chance of developing extraordinary skills, delivering extraordinary performances, and achieving extraordinary results. To develop the skill of focusing, practice paying attention regularly. When you're talking with your spouse or children or parents or friends, practice letting go of everything else and really listening to the other person. When you are reading a story, focus on just that story. Test yourself after the conversation or after reading the passage and see how much you can recall. Modern technology is cool, but practice using it in a focused manner, not an omnipresent way.