A University of Chicago study revealed that we process 4 million bits of information.
Every day.
A Gallup study revealed that the average amount of time spent by a professional on any single activity before being interrupted or switching is three minutes.
That’s correct.
3 minutes.
Sadly, the study confirmed we create 44% of those interruptions.
We have become so conditioned by interruptions, we have to interrupt ourselves if no one else does.
We may tweet, text, email, or like a facebook status.
Or we turn on the television or randomly search the internet.
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Taking a break from daily responsibilities is ok.
Living a meaningless and constant escape from life responsibilities is a tragedy.
Lacking focus on what matters is an area I’ve personally struggled.
Am I alone in this battle?
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Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, appropriately advised his readers to put first things first.
Identify your big rocks every week and put them into your schedule.
If you don’t, the little rocks of insignificance will take over your week.
(For more discussion on Covey’s Habit of Integrity and Execution, please reference my professional blog post this week on this habit)
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What are your big rocks?
There’s one I am reminded of today:
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”
(Matthew 7:24-25)
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Now when I feel the desire to interrupt myself, I will say a quick prayer.
A spiritual interruption may be just what I need.
And for that matter, what we all need.
How do you put first things first in your life?
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That’s good, Brent. I think I have an extra dose of self-interruption. Just last week my wife said that if I had been born 30 years later, I would have been diagnosed with ADD. I think she is correct.
That realization has helped me understand why I do it, and, as you suggest, if I just pray for focus the urge passes.
Blessings,
Boyd
Thank you Boyd. I think we’d all be diagnosed with ADD these days! It’s a depressing state of society. We’ve moved from the Information Age to the Attention Age, and everyone is competing for our attention.