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Performing work and personal tasks, driving a car, communicating and many other situations require the ability to stay focused. But there are too many distractions in our world, from social media to our own thoughts. Psychotherapist Donald Altman offers three simple practices to train the mind and focus.
Sometimes it can be difficult for us to focus on one thing – so much so that it even drives us crazy. As soon as we start doing things that require focusing, attention is lost, different thoughts come into our heads … And now we ourselves do not notice that we are hovering somewhere in the past or future, but definitely not in the present moment.
“But even in our world of too many distractions, strategies can be applied to train concentration,” writes Donald Altman, a psychotherapist and former Buddhist monk. “It may sound counterintuitive, but those very moments when you get lost in your thoughts are the most suitable for focusing on the present.”
“Reconsideration”
It’s simple: when we realize that we are in the clouds, we turn on what Altman calls “re-awareness” – a reminder that it is time to return to the “here and now.” There is even a special term in Sanskrit for the process of “collecting” oneself. We become whole by bringing back to the present moment all the divided, fragmented, distracted, and overloaded parts of ourselves.
A bit of neurophysiology
Scientists have determined what happens to our minds when we lose concentration and get distracted – for example, during meditation or performing any task. Researchers have identified four neural networks in the brain that fire depending on whether our attention is focused or distracted. One of these networks is related to the ability to notice when we have stopped focusing on the current task.
This seems to be what “reminding” is, Altman adds. Once we find ourselves distracted, we can go back and re-focus on the present moment.
gentle correction
Of course, this process takes time, and special practices help to train it. Donald Altman reminds us that it is completely natural to forget and get distracted during such activities. There is no need to demand perfection from yourself.
In fact, “re-awareness” helps us to look at life as a continuously unfolding process, as opposed to the usual goal-oriented thinking. The latter significantly limits the perception of many events and objects and drives us into the narrow framework of dualistic consciousness: good-bad, right-wrong, luck-lose, and so on.
Fortunately, the mind is highly adaptable. With the necessary inner kindness and compassion, we can begin the practices of concentration. Donald Altman offers three simple strategies for staying in the here and now and practicing vigilance to keep your attention.
Three practices
1. Notice thoughts without judging them.
Start “cultivating” awareness to catch moments when the mind is distracted and immersed in thoughts about the past or the future. You can even record exactly when the switch occurs. What topics take him away? Explore how habit patterns work. Each time you notice a slip of attention, you strengthen the mechanism for turning on awareness and change old mental habits.
2. Take three slow breaths
In moments of loss of concentration, focusing on your breath will help you return to the present moment. Feel how good you feel. This exercise will not only help you focus again, but also start the body’s relaxation system.
3. Look around in detail
Feel your posture, press your feet to the floor. Notice the colors in the interior or the surrounding landscape. Listen for sounds. The author proposes to perform these practices regularly in order to develop awareness and attention, to focus on one’s own life and every moment of it.
About the Author: Donald Altman is a psychotherapist and author of several books, including the bestseller Reason! Awakening the wisdom to be here and now.