Distracted? It’s time to hit the reset button

I just finished reading the article, Distracted? It’s time to hit the reset button in the Sunday New York Times.

I thought about how difficult it is to stay focused when we are multitasking, plus the added pressure of time constraints, deadlines, overwhelming schedules and last minute crisis. How do we stay balanced, calm, free of anxiety and address everything we have to, without feeling like we are being pushed over the edge? The article suggests that we visualize a reset device in our brain and actually say “I need to press the reset button and get back on track.”

The “reset device” will be different for everyone. It might be a few minutes of closing your eyes and taking deep breaths, it might be a walk, it could be a 5 minute “getaway” to do nothing. Whatever the reset device method is, it is crucial to “blowing out all the tension and clutter in your mind”, and will have the benefit of restoring focus.

We need to be in control of our time. We are self managers. We need to create weekly lists with reasonable expectations for each day. We need to structure our time. When everything seems to be weighing you down, choose three or four things with high priority and get them done in the day. You will feel productive and your mind will settle down and allow you to focus on the next set of tasks.

Social media sites, Facebook, Twitter, e mail and texting are all distractions and take us off track. Be proactive, not reactive. Schedule time for these activities and be in control rather than it controlling you.