The holidays are arguably the busiest time of the year across the board. In general people could be shopping, decorating, baking, hosting parties, attending parties, playing secret Santa, playing white elephant, hosting guests, being guests, buying gifts, wrapping gifts, participating in religious celebrations, giving to charity, volunteering, visiting family, trying to find gifts for that family member you know nothing about, cleaning, cooking, cleaning, cooking, taking family photos for holiday cards, remembering last minute that your child is supposed to bring something to his classroom holiday party that is tomorrow…..FOCUS! The expectations that the holidays bring can easily send you into overdrive. It’s likely that you are experiencing a majority of the items listed above while also trying to continue your normal working routine. November and December are a race to the finish line, and it can be easy to lose sight of what is really important.
Focus is something that is so important for children. As attention spans are getting shorter and more and more children manifest as ADD/ADHD, it is so important to focus on focus. I am not someone that has been diagnosed as ADD, but I relate to many of the symptoms. I have an incredibly short attention span that often prevents me doing activities that take a lot of focused attention. If I am reading a book, it takes me so long to finish it because I cannot always focus my brain to actively listen to the words I am reading. Similarly, I have a really hard time sitting through a movie that is more than 90 minutes. While I acknowledge these issues with myself, I am actively working to strengthen my ability to focus.
One thing that has been helpful for increasing my focus is meditation. To some people, the idea of meditation can be unappealing because of various stigmas and connections to certain religions. There are so many types of meditation that are not the stereotypical version of what
many people think of when they hear that word. One type that I think is incredibly useful for focus is a guided meditation body check. This prompts you to focus on every individual part of your body. Look at your breathing, is your heart rate elevated for any reason? Think about your spine, how is your posture right now? Focus on your arms, are you feeling any pain in this area? This generally ends with a few minutes of quiet as you focus on your breathing. This doesn’t sound like much but taking even four minutes to be alone and mindful with myself can help me focus more throughout the day. Meditation is also a practice; as you meditate more, you can start to access those feelings throughout the day if you feel your mind start to wander.
Another way to develop your focus is by taking on an activity that requires precision. Many of our students participate in archery. This sport requires attention to detail and focus to be successful. The level of discipline and awareness that archers need to be successful is incredibly helpful in developing focus in our children. If you child is not interested in sports, other precise activities like needlepoint can similarly develop his ability to focus.
It is a busy time of year, and it is easy to get distracted by everything that the holidays bring. Over-committing and doing too much can take our eyes off of our personal goals, our work, and our families. This December, let’s try to focus on the things that matter. Throughout the next year, find an activity that increases your level of focus.
- Bria