Being present at the moment requires you to be focused and observant of your surroundings. This spatial awareness can be trained. We can be ignorant out of habit sometimes, for example, at the supermarket, our default setting is looking down as we walk – trying to avoid eye contact.
Being observant requires you to interact with your environment. Witness what goes around you and formulate your opinion. It is great for mindfulness and can also help boost creativity. The more you observe, the more ideas you come up with.
Learn What to Ignore
Taking in all the information is counter-intuitive. If you try and pay attention to all that goes around you, you will lose sight of what is important. You need to learn what needs to ignore.
Here are some ways you can train yourself to look for certain things:
- Scavenger Hunt: Throughout the day, be on the lookout for an object of your choosing. It could be cameras, cars of a particular kind, or broken windows.
- People-Watching: When in a crowded place, try looking up from your phone for a change. Look at the people around you and observe how they behave in a public place. The way they navigate their busy environment.
- Take Notes: Find a place to sit and take notes or draw your surroundings. This will train your brain to pay attention to details and observe the world more.
Focus is the Key to Success
A successful person has one thing in abundance: its determination. Working towards your goals with commitment requires focus and will.
- Have a fixed plan of the day ahead of you. You can make your life efficient. Before going to bed, make basic decisions about what you will wear, what to eat, or the route to work. Eliminating these minor distractions will free up time to focus on tasks more pressing tasks.
- Do the most challenging task first. It is great for motivation. Putting them off serves to be counter-intuitive, as they loom in the background to the end. Research has shown that our mind is most active during the day. Tackle difficult and time-consuming tasks earlier on in the day.
- Responding to every request is distracting. Requests are almost always replaced by more requests, so prioritize your work and only address those requests that have a higher priority than what you are doing. The majority of the situations tend to solve themselves over time; therefore, learn to spot the difference.
- Have a clear picture of what you are working towards. It is essential to remind yourself of your goals once in a while. The motivating factor is the “why” behind this goal, and visualization can be an excellent tool for keeping sight of what is important. Set aside a few minutes to think about what you want to achieve, as it will give your efforts some perspective.
- Focus increases gradually. How long you can retain your focus is an acquired attribute. You can train yourself to focus for 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, and so on.
To learn how to become more observant and focused, you can sign up for our essentials mastermind services as well.
