Distraction

It’s easy for me to get distracted. There are so many things competing for my attention. Some distracters are important and urgent. Others are unimportant time wasters. When I finally sit down to study my mind is divided because I am distracted. It’s so frustrating. It’s like a virus on my computer that causes so many pop-ups I can’t do my work. Some of the pop-ups are interesting and I begin to work on them only to realize I've wasted 30 minutes and I've made no progress on what I needed to accomplish. Alarmed, I start closing every pop-up window. It seems like I'm so busy closing pop-ups I can’t get to the window I need to work in. Then time becomes short and frustration becomes high and I become emotionally reactive and creativity leaves me. Frustrated, I stop and walk a bit but even that can be distracting. I get a diet Pepsi, check the bills on the table and think about the bills. I see things I left undone like the invitations for my H.S. reunion that I need to mail. I remember a hospital visit I need to make. I write down things I need to do. I send myself an email. Leave myself a voicemail so I won’t forget. And on and on. The break is not helpful it’s just more distraction. It’s a constant fight for attention. I sometimes say aloud “Stop Jeff! Focus!” Do you identify? I’ll bet you do. Everybody has problems with attention. Some more than others but everybody struggles with it. Brain scans show more brain activity during periods of distraction. It’s like the brain lights up in many regions during periods of distraction and confusion. But it looks different when you are focused. Brain scans show less activity during periods of creativity. When you are focused and creative, it’s like one bulb lights up in your brain. That’s why I frequently pray “Lord, turn my light bulb on.” That means, “Shut down everything else and light up that one place in my brain so that I can focus.” That’s happening tonight. So I pray – "Lord, please turn my light bulb on now."