I cannot scientifically prove what I say, but I believe that one of the most important preconditions for being successful, demanded, and a self-sufficient person is focusing on the work that is currently being done. It does not have to be intellectual activity, for example, reading a book (we will come back to it). There are many more simple, everyday things.
If you eat focusing on your food, it will contribute to your health even more, rather than being “switched off” and swallowing food without realizing and chewing. It is no coincidence that followers of any religion pray before eating, and, particularly, thank God for his goodness. For example, we say, “enjoy the meal in peace, which the Lord has prepared for us. Blessed is the Lord’s goodness”. Pay attention: in peace.
But does not any work require concentration? -cooking, washing dishes, communicating with friends, chopping wood, watering a tree, watching a movie, walking, breathing. Not to mention professional responsibilities. I think in this and many other cases you can enjoy life only by concentrating.
What prevents us from concentrating on the matter? Of course, various “external” and “internal” factors. But today, especially the Internet. The disease of being “connected” all the time has infected all of us. Many people are unable to live for 5 or 10 minutes “without connection”, perhaps thinking that they miss something important. Often this “important thing” is a picture taken by a girl in a cafe, by which she tells the world what pizza she is currently eating. Or, as often happens in my case, to find out who has stung me this time on Facebook, or on aravot.am website. Of course, it’s stupid of me to read such comments, and replying those is the culmination of the stupidity. But I confess, it happens that I do both.
Watching the pizza’s picture taken in the café, and checking the stings are equally “valid” reasons to enter the Internet for 30-40 times a day, at home, at workplace, in a transport, in a café, while being with friends, and even in the toilet. Of course, there are millions of other “valid” reasons, why people are “unconsciously swallowing” hundreds of daily titles and “headlines”, often making hasty judgments about them.
What to do? It is difficult to refuse this “drug” right away. But there are also proven measures. First, fix how many hours a day you spend on Facebook, just like you count your smoked cigarettes. Secondly, pick up a book or a newspaper at a fixed time every day and read at least for 5 minutes, slowly, immersing into the meaning of the text. This “exercise” for concentration is almost equal to heroism nowadays.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
