What Are You Doing?

What are you doing? No, really! What are you supposed to be doing and focussing on?

So, today I was trying to make a short video clip and something occurred to me. It isn’t unheard of but to experience something first hand makes the realisation more profound.

I realised that at any given point in time, if we are not giving our entire focus to the task at hand, we will not reach our highest potential. No, not highest potential as a human or in life, but simply for that task, at that given moment. Distractions are not always obvious because sometimes these distractions are involved in the task itself. All it takes for unwavering focus is to cut out the distractions by asking yourself what the actual goal of the task is. Yes, we have to address the problems, but only to a certain extent. The issue arises when we end up wasting time and dragging the task by simultaneously trying to solve the problem and also performing the task at hand.

Let me give you an example, as usual:

Let’s say you are a student and trying to write an essay. And I mean really write, with pen and paper. Now imagine your teacher made a comment about your handwriting the day before and you took her comment to heart. While trying to write that essay your focus will be diluted. Instead of giving your best effort in producing a great essay, most of the time, your attention will divert towards wondering whether your handwriting is clear or not. When that happens you break the flow of your write up and you may end up erasing or restarting again and again. It will take time and you may never finish the essay, without ignoring the fact that your essay could have been much better if your focus was one pointed.

Do you notice the diluted effort here? And that’s perhaps why we often remain unsatisfied in life.

What’s the way out?

It’s by taking a moment and asking yourself what’s on your mind and what the actual purpose of this task is. Whether that’s driving somewhere or cooking a meal, if you’ll focus on keeping your car or kitchen clean during the task, then your entire focus is clearly not on driving or cooking, respectively. I guess it is a matter of clarity and priorities.

And that’s what I learnt today, the more we think and give in to distractions, the longer it takes us to attain perfection of the task at hand. And mind you, perfection is only about surpassing yourself, not about competing with others.

So erm, next time you see me daydreaming, it’s because I am giving my whole attention to my dreamworld, okay?:)