Read this with focus

Months ago now, I read an article in Runner's World called "In Focus." It was about focusing your energy in one area and avoiding multitasking. It really spoke to me so I thought I'd look into the issue further by googling the book the author referred to. But on the way from my couch to my computer, I saw my guitar leaning against my wall. 'I need to practice!' I thought. I started practicing, "Dreaming with a Broken Heart" by John Mayer. After a few minutes of practice 'I need to learn a new song!', I decided, so I went to the internet to look up some more guitar tabs. 'Perhaps Jack Johnson has some good ones', I thought to myself, 'or maybe the Beatles!' But, then, oh look! Gmail notifier says I have an email from Kayak.com... flights nationwide for $47 each way?! Awesome, so maybe I'll buy my ticket to Vegas on there. But what am I gonna do in Vegas again? I should probably look up some national park hiking opportunities before I forget... At that moment, I glanced down from my computer and see my lame to do list, which consisted of about a thousand open checkboxes and one checked one that says "go to bank." I'm plagued with feelings of guilt that paralyze me in my tracks. The feelings of guilt spread when I also realize I should finish my assignment for Personality Assessment. Grudingly, I pull out the assignment and start looking over it, but first I throw on a FRIENDS episode as background noise (and end up mostly watching that).

I hope you all enjoyed that brief journey through the chaos that is my thoughts. This self reflection may shed some light on why I'm such a fan of the t shirt that has the following saying on it, 'I don't know why people say I have a short attention span - Oh look! A chicken!'

I always loved this shirt, but didn't think it made a lot of sense. Obviously this person can pay attention, they are just interested in multiple things: talking about their attention span and chickens. Chickens deserve attention, too. But apparently thats not really the point...

It is now August 2009, I am and attempting to finish this half-written post I just found (in February). I hope my above self-disclosure made my point, focus is a huge problem for me. I tend to want to do everything, RIGHT NOW, and multitasking often seems like a good way to do that. As it turns out... not so much. I find myself getting thoroughly frustrated with how easily I get distracted which furthers the counterproductivity of it all. When I actually focus on one thing at a time, I'm actually quite amazed. I am efficient! It shed some light on why I probably procrastinate so much? Because it forces me to focus.

I'm happy to report that months later, I've actually gotten a lot better at this. Articles like the Runners World one I read months ago (now online), have helped me realize that I just gotta decide which things that are a priority and focus on one thing at a time. I've stopped most multitasking and it really has done wonders for me. I now power through to-do lists like tornadoes of arms and teeth. I still have a million ideas and there still is no possible way I can do them all. But with my new focusing techniques, I get a heckuva lot further.