On a scale of 1-5, how well do you get (and stay) focused at work?

To what degree do you find it difficult to stay mentally focused on any one task for extended periods of time?  When was the last time you can point to that you were able to “get in the zone” and be truly productive for an extended period of time?  You know.  Those moments when you look up at the clock after working on a project for a while and say to yourself, “Wow!  I can’t believe it.  Two hours have gone by and feels like five minutes.”

As I began my morning scripture reading, affirmations, and reflection the other day, I realized how challenged I am.  I literally had to reread one particular passage 5-7 times before I could truly focus on the message.  I’ll bet you can relate.

Thoughts of what I needed to do, appointments I anticipated, and responsibilities I needed to take care of kept me bombarding my mind.  It felt like I was experiencing the phenomena that author John Ortberg describes as “the monkeys are jumping around in the trees”.  Ha!  You know what I’m saying?  And that was BEFORE I started my workday.

It’s no secret that we are growing increasingly distracted with the rise of social media, the always-on mentality of email and cell phone communication, and the hurried paces of our lives. 

But do we stop to consider the actual cost of distraction and how to protect ourselves against it?