Are you worried about how you spend your time? After all, you don’t know how much time you have; you only have what time is given to you. This message was used for centuries. It is an accepted truth. That being said, I’d like to throw a wrench into the “time” mechanism.
My contention is that I don’t believe that it’s time that we’re concerned about, rather it is attention. You can spend time with someone without giving them attention. If you were at work and you were sleeping instead of working, but you were spending your time there, just not giving your attention to the work, that would be an example of time not being the same as attention.
Often, the term “time” is used to mean attention. In my view, it’s just a poorly chosen word. As an example, many say, “Could I have a moment of your time?” Don’t we really just want to ask the person for attention?
Now the reason I make this distinction is to ponder the value of attention, spending it, and what we might accomplish if we kept more of it for ourselves.
In regards to your attention, it has value. Why? Because attention has potential. It’s about what you might do. No one knows what you will do. But if I can get your attention, then there is a chance that I will affect your choice of action.
This is what sales and marketing is all about: getting in front of your eyes/ears. Radio commercials and TV commercials have been working hard to get your attention. You may be aware of the obnoxious commercials that drive you nuts, but did you think about the platform where you were getting those commercials? They are doing everything they can to get your attention. They offer programs or music that is a good bet to grab your attention. News media and tabloids use headlines they think will grab your attention. Don’t overlook email lists and social media, because they are doing the same things. Even books and magazines need your attention in order for them to sell.
In the movie, Second Hand Lions, there is a part where two rich uncles who are chasing off all the salesmen are asked the question, “What’s the good of having all that money if you’re never gonna spend it?”
Every day you have a new, but limited cache of attention, and just like money or gold, the scarcity of the item is what makes it valuable. You are going to spend that attention each day, so who gets your attention? I’d like to say that is totally up to you, however that may not be entirely true, and you may not be disciplined to spend it wisely and someone might be stealing from you.
Are you being discerning about who or what has your attention? Your attention has responsibility. If you’re driving a car, your attention needs to be on driving. It just takes a moment for an accident to happen when your attention goes from driving to something else. Your attention is yours, and it’s your responsibility to spend it wisely.
This leads me to the question of what you could accomplish if your attention was your own. When you wake up in the morning, it’s like an attention reset. For the briefest of moments you have nothing influencing you, other than possibly your bladder, a pet, or a child. You are going to choose what will have your attention in the first minute or so of your gaining consciousness.
Here, I would like to offer an option that maybe you didn’t know that you had: Instead of plugging in, stay unplugged —at least for a few moments ’til you can decide where you want your attention to go. How you spend your attention shows what is most important to you.
This may be a good moment to write how you will spend your attention for today. If you can determine where to spend your attention daily, you will be doing more of what you want and will be less at the subtle guidance of others who seek to have your attention. You can unplug from the attention seeking noise that’s like a swarm of blood sucking mosquitoes, by turning off all noise, closing your eyes and asking, “To what shall I give my attention?”
Unplug and take control.
