Our brain was designed to focus on a singular task, such that we cannot allocate the entirety of our mental resources from one task to another instantaneously and repeatedly. If the daily stress of overextending your attention has resulted in fatigue, disorganization, or a lack of mental sharpness, what should you do? Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Life is a book authored by Margaret Moore, MBA and Paul Hammerness, MD of Harvard Health that offers 6 suggestions to cultivate an organized mind:
- Tame the frenzy – get into control by exercising your body or doing a mindfulness exercise to allow yourself to regain perspective and bring yourself into the present moment.
- Sustain attention – identify a goal or singular task to focus on. In mindfulness practice this is referred to as “naming your intention.” Doing so will help you stay on track without becoming derailed by distractions.
- Apply the brakes – when new information distracts you in the midst of a singular task, stop and consider whether or not you should shift your priorities by shifting your attention.
- Mold information – use self-talk and intentional thought to draw upon your working memory (e.g., the ability to attend to verbally and spatially presented information, process that information, and formulate a response), in order to accrue necessary information to inform what you will focus on next.
- Shift sets – rather than strictly following a set path, allow yourself to cultivate mental flexibility by receiving new input from distractions that can inform new ideas and bolster creativity.
Connect the dots – by staying in the moment and focusing on a singular task, you will be able to sustain your attention for longer periods of time and facilitate a more organized approach to multiple domains of your life.