I do. I sometimes wonder if I’m losing my concentration skills. I’m finding it takes more and more effort to focus.
I seem to have a lot of half-started things around me, or things I want to look at/do/read/try but haven’t quite gotten round to. For example:
Half-read books.
Looking around my flat, I currently have 12 books where I’ve either read a chapter or two or am half-way through. A couple I’ll probably never read. But others I’ve enjoyed so far – I’ve just got side-tracked and tempted by something else.
Half-watched Netflix tv series.
Currently around 5.
Podcast episodes clogging up my phone’s flimsy storage capacity.
There are so many that I’m half-way through. On top of that, every day new episodes are appearing from podcasts I’ve subscribed to.
The choice is endless. There are podcasts offering something up whatever mood I’m in (entrepreneurial, comedy, entertainment, comfort, current affairs).
And some are for walking along to, some are for washing my hair to, some are for cooking to…
Too many emails in my inbox.
Offering free training or free webinars or free guides to things I want to learn about. There are a lot of voices out there, all ready to teach me something new. And there’s SO MUCH to learn!
35 articles.
Saved in a folder on my browser bookmarked ‘to read’. Throughout the day, as something catches my eye, I dump it there. And it adds up, and adds up…
There’s just too much stuff.
Knowing this stuff is all there clogging up leaves me with a feeling of dissatisfaction. I don’t like having things lingering like that. Nothing is completed.
Are my concentration skills failing? Or is it because there’s such a proliferation of stuff out there for us, it’s a real mental battle to just focus on one thing at a time, and see it through to the end.
Distractions.
It’s become normal to flit from one thing to another. Opening up multiple internet tabs where one article leads on to another.
Looking up something on your phone, only to be distracted by a notification and taken off on a different rabbit hole. When you manage to come out of it you’ve forgotten what you were originally looking for.
There are so many distractions out there, and when you’re curious and interested in lots of things, and like to learn, it’s even worse.
It takes a lot to pull back and work out what’s important, and then focus.
Solution.
So the only solution I have is to regularly reassess.
- What do I need to focus on today or this week? What are my top 3 priorities?
- Can I break down my ‘to-dos’ into smaller, achievable actions steps?
- Can I cull any emails/subscriptions/podcast episodes?
- Are there any apps I can delete?
- Can I streamline my diary, think hard before agreeing to something?
- What if I make a promise to myself that I will see each new book, podcast episode, tv episode through to the end (unless it’s rubbish and therefore I’ll scrap it)?
It always comes down to simplifying when I feel overwhelmed. Cut through the noise, limit my options.
What are you doing to stop the overwhelm and unnecessary distractions?
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You might like my guide to creating a morning routine: 3 easy steps to a morning routine you love!
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