Focus.
The natural superpower.
In today’s world, it feels like focusing is one of the hardest thing you can do.
Or at that I can do.
I won’t blame social medias but I’ll blame my usage of social medias, along other factors.
I honestly don’t think I have ADHD or anything like that, yet my mind is always jumping from idea to idea, from stimuli to stimuli, and focusing on just one thing at the time feels almost impossible.
This is especially true when I’m in front of the computer.
I’ll open a tab, check something quickly, remember another task, start doing it, jump to another tab…
And the problem is not with the systems.
Obviously you know me, I have a pretty well-rounded custom system for myself in Notion that supports me as much as it can.
But eventually, when it’s all thought about and planned….what’s left is to actually act.
And to act, you must focus.
The more I age, the more I realize that multitasking only works if one of the task is (semi) automatic.
For example, I can write and listen to music (although I prefer not to) or listen to a podcast while I take care of housechores.
But writing and singing along? Reading emails and creating content? Responding to people and crafting a report? Nope.
While sometimes I might be able to do both simultaneously, it usually ends up taking longer than it would have if I had done one task at a time, and it also feels way more complicated — and it is, due to the added friction.
So if I’m conscious of this, why do I still struggle to prioritize and take time to act, piece by piece?
I hope I’m not alone in this.
As self-aware as I can be, I grew up on the internet, ever since I was 11.
I’ve spent a large amount of my life in front of a screen.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved a lot of that time.
I met incredible people, had deep and interesting conversations, I’ve discovered art and artists, learnt new skills…
In some ways the internet has always been a safe place for me — despite knowing that it’s not as safe as it sometimes look like.
While I appreciate overall how technology has evolved alongside our society, I also notice how we’ve robbed ourselves of our most precious gift: the natural ability to be present.
Thankfully, there are remedies: time in nature, with loved ones, around animals, meditating, doing sports or working out…
But when it comes to working, especially if working happens in front of a screen AND online, it gets so much harder.
Once again, I’m not going anywhere with this post — I’m simply sharing my thoughts as they come.
If you relate, if you’ve been through this as well but found a solution, a technique, a way to sharpen your focus, please let me know! I’d love to talk about it on Bluesky for example.
With love,
Camille
