Attention - Post 4600 - Are We Spending Time or Investing It?

People rob us. They take our attention as their business. Stay on task. 

Set priorities. Warren Buffett uses the 25-5 rule. Distill a list of 25 priorities to five.

Navy SEAL and author Jocko Willink said a 'teams' member told him to give him a list of the top three because he couldn't remember more than that. 

Coach Nick Saban asks, "Are you spending your time or investing it."

How can we commit to improve our attention? 

• Build a mindfulness practice. Mindfulness increase attention in children as young as six. 
• Use power words such as "now", "focus", "special"
• Be aware of distractions around us (cellphones, television)

Lagniappe. Manage attention. Consult AI (ChatGPT)

Attention is a challenge amidst a sea of distractions. Suggest your three best ideas to recognize distractions and manage attention.

ChatGPT said:

Here are three strong ideas to help recognize distractions and manage attention:

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1. Name the Noise

Why it works: Awareness is the first step to control. Giving a label to common distractions—“scroll hole,” “worry loop,” “fake urgency,”—turns them from invisible currents into visible patterns.

How to do it:

• Keep a small tally for every time you get pulled off task during the day.

• At the end, review and name the top 1–2 culprits.

• Ask yourself: “What triggered this? What did it cost me?”

“You can’t fight what you can’t see. Naming makes it visible.”

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2. Use the ‘One-Window Rule’

Why it works: Each open tab, app, or notification is a silent invitation to multitask. Limiting what's visible forces focus.

How to do it:

• Work in full-screen mode with only one task on screen.

• Phone goes face-down, ideally in another room or on airplane mode.

• Use apps like Freedom or Cold Turkey if tech temptation is high.

“Simplify the battlefield: one task, one window, full attention.”

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3. Install a “Mind Check” Trigger

Why it works: External reminders pull you out of autopilot and back into intention. A cue can prompt a 5-second reset.

How to do it:

• Set a phone chime or smartwatch buzz every hour.

• Ask yourself: “What am I doing? Is this the most important thing?”

• If not, gently shift back.

“A mind check is like a lighthouse: it brings you back before you drift too far.”

Another powerful technique is the Pomodoro Technique of twenty-five minutes on and five minutes scheduled off.