One Job at a Time

My brain can’t function like a web browser. I need to stop running 5 different tabs in my mind.

I find myself getting anxious when I’m focusing on one job at a moment. I have to listen to a podcast while walking, read an article while sipping coffee, and watch YouTube while playing with cats. It seems like my brain has learned to fake maximum productivity all the time.

Why can’t I just do one job at a time? It must be so easy to pay full attention to simple acts like walking, watching, and eating. However, it’s painfully difficult to be 100% aware of the present moment.

Maybe social media is to blame, but I’m the one responsible to take care of my mind’s well-being. I’m the one in charge of fixing bad habits and constructing better systems.

So, I’ve made a few promises myself to be more human and less computer-like.

• Stop switching. Finish the job before moving on to a new one.
• Be aware of the addiction. Notice the urge to check ’likes’ and ‘comments.’ Tech products have become drugs, and I hate to be an addict.
• Consume long-form content. My attention span should be capable of understanding a book instead of a tweet.

As Anthony De Mello says, “You become happy by contact with reality. That’s what brings happiness, a moment-by-moment contact with reality.”