Finding your focus

Have you ever found yourself faced with a simple task that you are unable to complete no matter how hard you try? Perhaps you may discover that this is not because the task is particularly difficult, but because you simply cannot muster the energy to see it through, once you have started it. For some, this task may be completing an assignment or studying a specific topic, but for others it may be an assignment at the workplace or a chore at home. As the days pass, there will be additions made to this task, making it larger and more daunting.

This habit of putting off work is often termed procrastination and said to stem from laziness or a dislike for work. It must be noted, however, that there can be another cause for this habit. This is a lack of focus.

Greg Anderson, an American race car driver once said, “Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity, but doing it.”

Have you ever tried staring at the tip of a pin in your fingers as you sit in front of a bright television screen? The activity will require a great amount of focus, but after a while, you will find that it is not just difficult but painful and straining.

Many of the tasks that we put off may not even be difficult, but time and energy consuming. So, we find it hard to place our focus on an endeavour that just never seems to end! Eventually, our mind becomes strained and bored and we will want to jump to the next task, or take frequent breaks.

When you try to pass time by staring at a clock, each second becomes agonising. Similarly, if you complete each task with only its end in mind, then the entire process becomes strenuous. The secret to maintaining focus is finding ways to make your work enjoyable for yourself. For example, write notes in colourful pens so they are more exciting to read. Listen to music when completing your chores, and take your favourite cup of coffee or tea only when you are working. Eventually, you will find that you are able to focus and complete your work without any tricks or tips.

Focus should not be a tool reserved to the completion of tasks. Instead, it should be a manner of thinking and living. Life is a piece of art with many beautiful elements. Do not make the process of cherishing this piece of art a chore for yourself.

Young people today are bursting with potential and talent and there is only one question that determines where all of it goes – What can each person do for this world? As we set off on the journey of our lives, we have the responsibility of asking ourselves what each of us can do with the skills we have. Then, we must develop an attitude of focus towards achieving the answer that we discover to this question.