Last night, I was scrubbing the plates and the pans, and one of the many tiny secrets to success hit me.
Focus and concentration Are KEY to studying. You can study and study and study and wonder how come nothing is getting into your brain, but a lot of times it has to do with what’s going on in your brain while you’re studying.
Deep Focus is key to moving forward. That’s a term coined by Cal Newport, and it is perfect. You need to be into what you’re doing and not just sitting there.
Everyone’s had the experience of reading a book and then realizing 10 minutes later that you haven’t been reading it at all. Rather you’ve been thinking about Aunt Tilly’s lost cat. (Oh, I hope she turns up. )
Have you ever driven to work, gotten, and realized you had no idea how you got there? “I hope the lights were all green.”
I had a scary one a few months ago. I was listening to “Seveneves” by Neal Stephenson, and I was near the end when I looked up and had no idea where I was. I had gone about 10 minutes PAST my exit on the highway. (It was a really good book if you’re into SciFi)
Anyway, the point is that we don’t always pay attention to where we are.
Like Yoda said about training Luke Skywalker, “Always looking away to the future, never his mind on where he is, what he is doing!”
Or something like that…
Anyway, as I was elbow deep in bubbles, I remembered what a nice way it is to clear your mind. Washing the dishes can be very soothing. The warm water, the feeling of accomplishment. It’s mindless and repetitive. The perfect kind of task to let your brain drift a little. It’s a great activity to do right before you sit down to study.
It provides a little confidence boost (look at what a good job I’ve done). It clears the mind and tidies up the home a little. It’s a great focusing tool. Some people might consider folding clothes or vacuuming, but for me it’s cleaning the kitchen. A simple form of meditation.
Once you’re done with the dishes and your mind is clear and focused, it’s time to hit the books. And I’ve got just the one for you…
Brian Wallace
