Good morning. I’d like to welcome 33 new subscribers who signed up for Tip Jar this week — it’s good to have you here.
With Monday about to usher in a fresh set of duties, it’s time to make focus your next superpower.
For context: A 2016 study revealed the average person is distracted every 40 seconds when working on their computer.
Pair that with UC Irvine research that found it takes more than 20 minutes to re-focus after an interruption, and we have a real crisis of attention on our hands.
Below, I’m breaking down what to do about it — and giving you first dibs to my new guide on optimizing focus.
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Let’s start with two ideas.
- What you pay attention to determines what you see.
- The things you see determine the life you live.
In effect, the stuff you choose to focus on holds massive sway in how your life goes. “My experience is what I agree to attend to,” psychologist William James said in 1890.
Since the pandemic removed the separation between work and life, our realities have blurred into overlapping experiences, with technology so embedded in our routines it’s as if we’ve never been without them.
Now, employers expect people to produce great work in the same location they watch their kids or load laundry or cook dinner — all of which cloud our ability to pay attention.
Whether working from home or not, distractions pull at our attention more than ever.
That in mind, here’s what I want to share today:
I hope you find the layout useful and the tactics effective.
It is comprehensive and unique, without being long-winded.
The anecdotes about Georgia O’Keeffe’s paintings and Henry Miller’s writings, too, help bolster this guide with wisdom from two of history’s most prolific creatives.
Hit reply to this email, or tweet me (@philrosenn) to let me know what you think.
Catch you next week.
— Phil
Tip Jar Recs
- Topical talk: Quiet quitting is going viral, but these skills give you the best shot at actually enjoying work. (The Blog of Phil Rosen)
- Cheating death: The members of Longevity House are united by a desire to live forever and the willingness to hand over $100,000 to get there. (Toronto Life)
- An ode to old New York: A sharp, nostalgic column about a time when properties in New York didn’t cost a kidney and a limb. (Catapult)
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