Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Attention Deficit thoughts,...blah blah


I’ve noticed that I am particularly happy when I spend a lengthy period of time on a subject—when I become engrossed by it. Doing this makes me feel as though my mind is fully utilized. An engaged mind is less distracted by the worries and fears that serve to perpetually assault it.

I become happier through sustained engagement. This keeps me mentally elevated, alert and content. I am able to work through the moments of my time without raising my cortisol levels, without causing oxidative damage to my tissues, without the passage via the flight or fight response.

As I reflect upon how many times I allow little actions to fritter away my time—clicking on this or that site, rechecking my email again and again, I realize that I could have used this time more wisely…more efficiently.

I could have divided this time up and assigned it to specific uses. Jumping from one activity to the next shows a poor attention span—an inability to focus. Ultimately, these actions add up and waste my days. I learn very little when I employ this sort of behavior and I deprive myself of the sustained happiness that I am ultimately seeking. The question becomes, “How can I actually learn to focus better and what should I focus on?”

To learn more about this subject of focus, I have recently purchased the 2013 book “Focus” by Daniel Goleman. I think that the idea of focus is going to be a big issue in the next 50 years and beyond. The more and more people I meet, the more I hear the string of words “Attention Deficit Disorder” and how "He/She suffers with attention deficit disorder." or "I suffer with attention deficit disorder."


More meandering thoughts...

 The subject that I know is guaranteed to capture the attention of almost any human being on earth is the subject of money, and, more specifically, making it quickly. Only slightly lower on the list of things we want is general success in life.

But why do we crave money and success so badly? Now this is the question.

One of the fundamental reasons why people desire money is that it brings more options to their lives. It allows them to have material objects and experiences as well as additional time that they would otherwise be unable to have. And, because certain possessions and experiences are beneficial to making a person feel happy and motivated, a person becomes more inclined to initiate creative pursuits such as hobbies, building a small business, starting their music or art career, deep sea diving or probing the depths of literature, philosophy and history.

Knowing that we have so many options—that not only can we survive, but we can thrive is a reward all in itself.


People pursue things like money by purchasing lottery tickets or attempting get-rich-quick schemes. We all have a much harder time going down the difficult path of working to support ourselves, learning a particular trade or skill, or,  using our spare time on tricks and business endeavors that could possibly yield more financial return in the future.

15 comments:

  1. With all the things we are bombarded with today I agree how focus will be a problem and needs to be looked into the future. One time at work we were extremely busy dealing with customers and, as a front end manager, I had to deal with ones at my register and the problems at other registers. So when it finally slowed down one the cashiers asked me if I was OCD . All because of what he observed of me doing my job when it was busy. It made me wonder if such things like OCD and ADD are picked up by other people though usage and not by learning what it is specifically. The word "theory" definitely went though this. I'll take the professionals definition over popular usage.

    Nothing to say about the money comment. Pretty spot on.

    Hope everything is going alright.

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    1. Thanks John for sharing your incident. I think you have a point there.

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  2. What you're describing there is mindfulness; it's well known to psychologists and is a part of many eastern philosophies, e.g. Buddhism. In fact, I found a short volume on the topic on my Kindle: "The Art of Mindfulness" by Thich Nhat Hanh (http://www.amazon.com/Art-Mindfulness-HarperOne-Select-Selects-ebook/dp/B005HG4H24/). I've been meaning to read it, but Look! A Squirrel! Facebook! Email! G+! A Slice of Mind!

    The psychiatrist/author Edward M. Hallowell also writes about Attention Deficit Trait, which is different from ADD in that the former is environmentally caused while ADD has a genetic component. He had an interesting article about this in Harvard Business Review ("Overloaded Circuits", HBR, January 2005) with lots of really good practical tips.

    Can you tell this is a pet interest of mine? Oh, look, another squirrel!

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    1. Haha, yes, exactly. I was just reading a chapter in the book about mindfulness--but will definitely have to check out the link you provided here. Thank you Les for the input :)

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    2. Your comment on Attention Deficit Trait also supports my point on peoples misuse on mental disorders and such. People see symptoms that apply for many things as to one or two conditions they know. "Oh he is nice and orderly, must have OCD."
      All this reminds of a joke attributed to Steven Wright....

      "I have a friend who has HDADD, High Definition Attention Deficit Disorder. He does not focus on things well but when he does, WOW!"

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    3. John, that's the reason why the current edition of the DSM (V) is likely to be the last based on the current structure. At the moment, it categorizes disorders by symptoms; but fMRI studies and other neuroscience techniques are revealing that these disorders actually originate in quite separate structures of the brain. So there are now moves to produce a new DSM which will classify disorders by the affected part(s) of the brain.

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  3. Money is difficult. It's not just something we can easily peg as a burden or a relief. However, what we do know is that making it entails a lot of work, both physically and mentally. What matters most for all investments is the endgame, as well as to have a thorough and systematic structure, which will efficiently handle the windfalls as efficiently and as judicious as possible. Wishing you all the best!

    Catherine McMurtrie @ Advanced Accounts

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    1. Thank you Rebecca. Yes, I most certainly agree with you that it really does take a lot of hard physical (and mental) effort to make money (especially a lot) these days. Thankyou for stopping by my blog. All the best to you as well.

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  4. I'll take your word for it Les. Like I said before, I'll take any diagnosis from professionals. What I was writing about is from the general public who hear such conditions from word of mouth or (at worst) badly used from T.V. shows. Yeah some people I speak to understand the basics but then there are those who label others as if they can "Dr. Phil" it so to speak. Thanks for the info though.

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    1. Agreed; my real point is that even the professionals are having to rethink the subject, as new technology provides better investigative techniques and new explanations.

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  5. I hate it when people without the educational qualifications flippantly diagnose others with psychiatric disorders/personality types/ mental conditions etc.

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    1. The key word being flippantly. I think we're all entitled to make use of whatever we've learned in order to interpret other people's thinking and guide our interactions. I might privately regard someone as having histrionic personality disorder; someone else might just label them a troll, and a few might decide they're possessed by demons. From my moral perspective, what works best is the view and consequent behaviour that best limits any damage they might do in my life while letting them get the best in theirs - and that might be a view that is informed by some knowledge of psychology, but it certainly isn't a diagnosis and should never be uttered as one.

      It's rather like the simplistic adminition to never judge others. Why then do we admire those who are "a fine judge of character"? We all continually make judgements - it's part of being human. So, judge away, I say (and expect to be judged, in turn) but never pass sentence!

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  6. I agree with Renee, specifically professionals who should try to pinpoint exactly what ailment someone has in order for them to have proper treatment. I agree with you on simplifying it or short-handing it in order for someone to understand it better.

    However, for us regular laypeople, humility would be a helpful tool when "diagnosing" others. To put your last paragraph in my own words Les, I would word it as...
    If you are going to label someone, mentally do so as if you are writing in pencil. Make it easy to correct when needed.

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    1. Exactly. My research actually involves artificially intelligent agents which learn to trust and mistrust, but they never stop learning and they do change their minds. ;) But my Golden Rule is simple: above all, be kind, and never penalize others for what could be flawed judgement.

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