Attention in a world of distraction
The world we live and work in is full of new information and developments that demand our attention. The danger is that you always jump in on that. Everything that is new seems urgent and therefore important.
More results and grip with the Eisenhower matrix
An OGSM should be filled with important and planable actions. It provides results that contribute to the realization of the objective, more balance (less stress) and more control (less problems). Focus on the important actions and don't be swayed by urgent actions that demand attention and only seem important. That is the message of the Eisenhower matrix.Nothing really gets attention, because we divide our attention over too many different things. The challenge is to make sharp choices. What will you focus on and what will you not do (anymore)? The sharper the focus, the better you can cut yourself off from distractions, says Goleman.
Working on autopilot
In his book Goleman distinguishes between two ways of thinking. The first way is thinking with the bottom-up mind. This thinking is responsible for automatisms and routines. It is fast, impulsive and driven by emotions. Your attention flashes from left to right and from top to bottom. It's hard to keep focus. For repetitive tasks, our autopilot comes in handy. Because of the automatisms, we don't have to keep our attention on the task. But bottom-up thinking is disastrous to learn, create and innovate. After all, you keep doing the same thing over and over. You don't get better from making the same mistake over and over again.
Working with attention
The second way of thinking is with the “top-down mind”. This thinking focuses on planning, reflection and learning new skills. It goes slower and requires discipline to pay specific attention to this. This thinking makes us creative and helps us to get better step by step.
No attention, yet result
It gets really exciting when you combine the two ways of thinking. Alternate moments of strong focus with moments where your mind is free to run. Goleman cites the example of the well-known cryptographer Peter Schweitzer. His greatest breakthroughs were while walking or lying in the sun. It gave him the opportunity to distance himself from his problem and to give space to new insights.
Take time to be creative
Attention and focus is important to complete actions and achieve results. But also reserve space to learn from your experiences. Think about what these experiences mean for the future. This ensures that you always focus your attention on the right things.