My distracted mind
It started out like another usual day. I was on my bike running in between errands, doing the same dead-end routine except for a different day.
I have never given much thought about what I do whenever I go for grocery runs or deliveries. I usually engage in reaction mode, having an automated way of doing things.
But today, something jolted me from my zombified state.
I begin to notice the draft caressing my face, and how it manages to sift itself into the crannies of my helmet.
I realised how green the roadside trees are and how it magnificently stood, forming columns along the pavement. I saw pedestrians making small talk while walking out from the marketplace, toiling away with their plastic bags and trolley carts.
When we give our attention to our surroundings, we learn to take our minds off our own thoughts and immerse ourselves with the present.
Being in the moment is therapy for the brain.
A distracted mind
Sometimes we are engrossed with our own dealings that we began to lose control of our present and instead, subconsciously train ourselves to be complacent, anxious and stressed out.
I was thinking about that new laptop model which I was researching about for the longest time. And in all honesty, my laptop is in a dire need to stand down after a decade of dedicated service.
Unsurprisingly, I am being bombarded with all kinds of IT advertisements jostling for my attention from every app I open on my phone. And most of these adverts instil fear and urgency.
“25% off! Hurry before it’s gone!”-a typical quarterly IT show.
I cannot help but think that perhaps advertisements are partly to blame for keeping us occupied.
But to shift the blame on ads is futile.
Training to keep my focus
I realise that I have been focusing a lot on trivial matters.
For focus is a very powerful thing. Once you think of something long enough, chances are that you will often gravitate towards it.
As Robin Sharma describes in his book,
“Everything is created twice, first in the mind and then in reality.”
Instead of focusing my thoughts on frivolous matters, I might as well improve my attention on the road.
After all, you can only narrow down your focus on one thing. Multi-tasking is merely a balancing act.
