In many organizations, there is a culture of immediacy : everything has to be done now! In the midst of all that noise, it is difficult to work with concentration and focus for a longer period of time. And the real solution is not an app to keep you from your apps, but making a real choice.
You've probably heard it before: the human attention span is shorter than that of a goldfish. Not true, mind you. Otherwise you wouldn't even be able to read the previous sentence. But apparently this myth is so attractive that it is being eagerly spread. And I think many of us recognize that it is difficult to concentrate on work. Offices are getting busier and interruptions are more numerous, the standard settings of your smartphone and email program are quite noisy.
The book Life beyond the touch screen. Take back your focus, time and energy. Live more by Erwin Lima is a pamphlet that asks for attention for the large amount of attention that goes into screens. usa telegram data This instead of looking up and around and really being present. Being present in the conversations you have, in the book you are reading or by just doing nothing and daydreaming. It is not a plea against technology, but against the thoughtless use of technology. How you use technology is, in Lima's eyes, a derivative of what you want to achieve.
Lima argues that you use powerful IT tools to achieve your goals. Instead of spending a morning answering emails or chatting in Microsoft Teams or spending extended periods of time in Slack with teammates, the question is what role those tools should play in work and life. Is your role answering a morning email? If so, kudos. If not, what would you do in the morning given your goals and roles? Brainstorm with teammates? Study innovations? Interview customers?
Attention for attention
Given the many books on attention, focus, mindfulness and rest, the theme is more than relevant. The smartphone with all its power is an indispensable part of the street scene, the average meeting or the espresso bar. Unfortunately, that power and the frequent use of technology has not led to us working only a few hours a day. And at the macro level, economies have also been stagnating or shrinking for years. Apparently, we are not succeeding in making it easier and better with the most powerful tools that humanity has ever had.
