Anchored Attention: A Mindful Approach to Taming Distractions and Boosting Productivity
Failed to add items
Sorry, we are unable to add the item because your shopping cart is already at capacity.
Add to basket failed.
Please try again later
Add to Wish List failed.
Please try again later
Remove from Wish List failed.
Please try again later
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Anchored Attention: A Mindful Approach to Taming Distractions and Boosting Productivity
-
Narrated by:
-
By:
About this listen
Wherever you're sitting - whether that's at a desk, in a coffee shop, or finding a quiet corner - allow your body to settle. Feel the surface beneath you, supporting your weight. Your spine can be upright yet relaxed, like a strong yet flexible tree rooted into the ground.
Take a deep breath in through your nose, letting your lungs fill completely. And then a long, slow exhale through your mouth. As you breathe, imagine each inhale drawing in calm, clear energy, and each exhale releasing tension and mental clutter.
Today, we're practicing what I call the "Anchored Attention" technique. Imagine your focus is like a skilled sailor navigating changing waters. Your breath is the anchor - steady, reliable, always available to bring you back when your mind starts drifting.
Begin by choosing one primary task or project you need to approach. Visualize this task as a landscape - not something to conquer, but something to explore with curiosity and presence. Notice any immediate reactions - maybe resistance, excitement, or anxiety. Simply observe these feelings without judgment.
Now, connect your breath to this task. Inhale: "I am..." Exhale: "...present." Inhale: "I am..." Exhale: "...focused." With each breath, you're creating a gentle rhythm of attention. When your mind wanders - and it will, that's completely normal - softly guide yourself back to this breath-task connection.
The magic isn't in perfect concentration, but in the compassionate return. Each time you notice your mind has drifted and you bring it back, you're building a muscle of mindful productivity.
As we close, I invite you to carry this anchored attention into your next task. Remember, productivity isn't about doing more, but about being fully present with what you're doing. Take one conscious breath before starting your next piece of work.
Thank you for practicing with me today. If this resonated, please subscribe to Mindful at Work: Daily Tips for Productivity and Focus. Until next time, breathe, focus, and be kind to yourself.
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.