Now on the horizon…
Rhythms of Focus
– Guiding the Wandering Mind –
…a new online, interactive course about finding focus from restlessness and getting to the places you want to go.
Some people are always behind on tasks, their desks covered in reminders, and their laptops a mess of icons. Regardless of how many productivity systems they’ve tried, they fall back into the same place: feeling behind and lost.
Creatives, those with ADHD, anxiety, or otherwise have what might be called a “wandering mind”. Focus does not seem to be willingly in their grasp. Managing their day is a major hangup. When they can’t get past this, they struggle to hit their potential.
Regularly running into walls, they repeatedly try some combination of:
- Writing lists
- Scheduling
- Relying on other people
- Covering their computer in sticky notes
- Adding reminders that leap out of their phone every 5 minutes
But none of this works in the long term. Their to-do lists are messy, inboxes overflow, and a general sense of overwhelm continues.
The only things that seem to work are procrastinating until a deadline and to have others in their lives yell at them, which hardly does well for their relationships. Those repeated feelings of failure leave them with a miserable sense that nothing works, and they just can’t do it.
Meanwhile, it’s not about intelligence or creativity. In fact, working with clients like these directly, I often see these strengths go hand-in-hand with such problems. Instead, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not about being bright or using a particular tool or method.
The key seems to revolve around how one cares about their Future Self.
As odd as that may sound, that mindset can be quite powerful. In learning how to align one’s Present and Future Selves, and do so with kindness, they find a better connection with their personal rhythms. They find a better way to ride those rhythms rather than fight them. They can even feel gratitude for their Past Self, and a cycle builds.
Getting there is a matter of practice, building from smaller to larger efforts. Imagining a Future Self a month, a day or even an hour from now can feel impossible. The concept of time itself can feel confusing and out of reach.
But, it’s like putting weights on a barbell. You start with a small weight, build muscle and settle into it, and then add the next weight. Eventually, you can lift and do things you didn’t think were possible.
I’m in the early stages of putting together an online interactive class that maps out this exercise regimen, teaching what the weights are and how to practice them. Lasting about 6 weeks, it will include videos, class discussions, homework, and other such interactions to foster an immersive community.
If you’re interested in learning more, click here to fill out a short survey. The date for the course isn’t set yet, but when it is, you’ll get a lead-up of mailings and instructions about how to apply.
If you have suggestions for what would be useful for the course, please let me know in the comments or on the survey. I’m all ears.
