Several years ago, at the suggestion of my cousin, I read a book called the 4 Hour Work Week.  The idea, basically, was that the total amount of work necessary to be successful, and have decent welfare, could be achieved in a short amount of time, four hours as the title suggests.  While that may be an amazingly optimistic, and appealing, idea for a work week, the way the author suggests achievement of that goal has a few glaring holes.

My intent is not to critique the book, but actually highlight a positive suggestion proposed within the piece.

The idea was that, to be productive, and maximize focus, distractions should be minimized.  Simple right?  The idea is fairly basic, of course, but the highlighted item in his discussion was the elimination of distraction by email.  This focus, in the book, obviously applies to an office setting where a worker is called upon to address interoffice emails and communications regularly.  Of course, there could be other workplace environments that require regular email “work.” The author’s suggestion was to limit email checking to two blocks a day.  These designated time periods, say, ten in the morning, and three thirty in the afternoon, are when the employee would set aside time to address emails.  The point of doing this, is to eliminate work stoppage on other productive endeavors at random irregular intervals, due to emails.  If a person is being routinely distracted, they are less likely to be focused on the task at hand.  When certain times are designated for certain tasks, the overall productivity improves.

It seems, that this email block approach, is designed to maximize time spent in the moment.

We hear the phrase often, “living in the moment.”  The real question is, do we actually live that way?

If we did live that way, we would be entirely focused on the here and now.  We would find ways to enjoy work more, we would find ways to enjoy our quiet moments more, we would enjoy our entertainment more, and we would find ways to enjoy our companionship more.

Once, our world had fewer distractions. We didn’t have phones glued to our person.  In many cases, homes only had one phone, if any.  Once upon a time, there were no televisions, or radios, or, gasp, computers and the internet.  The reality in our world, of course, is quite different.  Different worlds, though, still require choices.

It seems that when people go out in social settings, it’s the norm to have one’s phone available, and readily used.  The only glaring exception seems to be the movie theater where using one’s phone is explicitly frowned upon and shunned.  But, at any other place, restaurants, clubs, bars, laundromats, grocery stores, malls, and gyms, phones are being used constantly.  I can understand communication when one is alone.  I’m more troubled by the inattentiveness to a person’s surroundings when communicating.  How often do you witness a person at checkout, at grocery store, or retail location, talking on their phone and holding up a line?  Maybe, if that person wasn’t distracted, they could have appreciated their moment, treated their fellow shoppers considerately, and enjoyed the interaction with the exceedingly friendly cashier?  Or consider that person walking through a mall, face lit by the neon glow of their phone, that bumps into random people and doesn’t even say sorry. Maybe if they put the phone away while they were shopping, they might say hello to random strangers, or catch the eye of someone appealing, or simply leave themselves open to an enjoyable conversation.

Consider other social settings, lets say, a party for example, or a wedding, or a family gathering.  How many new interactions does one miss at that event, by constantly checking an email, or text, or video, or tweet, or sports score? What new people, or experiences, can we encounter, simply by opening ourselves to the moment, and limiting our distractions?

What about when you’re with someone special?  Is your time filled with responses to people who aren’t present?  Do you not hear things that person is saying because your attention is somewhere else? Do you think about things that have no bearing on the moment you are trying to enjoy?  Does your focus on status updates, or a trending video improve the impression of value on your loved one?

I’m not advocating throwing your phone in the trash and forgetting about it.  I understand there is a time and a place for having a phone readily available.  I have recently enjoyed hiking, and I have adopted a strict rule, whether hiking alone or with company, no phones.  The focus on the hike, beauty and sounds of nature, and attentiveness to ones surroundings are impeded by the distract of a text message or alert.  The idea is to enjoy the moment, so, no phones.

I also understand where needing communication, and having a phone readily available, and in use, is completely acceptable. There are certain social scenes that certainly make this acceptable. Though, this scenario usually involves consensus by all parties.

I have attempted to apply the living in the moment practice to my life.  I have slowed my mind during my discussions with people, and listened to what they had to say, as they were the only important person in the world.  I’ve set windows, or blocks, of phone time, so that I may better appreciate the world and people around me.  I only check my email once a day.  (Usually that involves clearing out considerable unwanted solicitation anyway.)  I am focusing my attention on now, limiting distractions, and focusing how I may best enjoy and cherish my moments.

I can’t claim that I won’t falter in my endeavors to appreciate every second.  But I will make efforts to more thoroughly enjoy as many moments that I have on this earth.  I don’t want to miss out on glorious experiences because I wasn’t focused on things right in front of me.  I don’t wish distractions to take precedence over experience.  I don’t want to miss the shooting stars because I was staring at the ground.

I want to focus on the moments, because they are all that I have.

Humbly yours,

J

P.S. Thank you for taking the time to read, and allowing my thoughts, to be your moment.