The power practice of focus...this is tough

So I don't know if you are like me, (I'm thinking we are similar if you are reading this) but I always have about 30 billion thoughts going through my head at one time. I'm thinking about a movie I just saw or I have a song stuck in my head (currently it's Moving Mountain by Usher) or what next project I have to do or my to do list tasks, I mean the list just goes on and on.

So focusing has always been one of my biggest challenges. It's hard for me to focus on the task at hand.

So I tried something really new to me, I tried meditating. And let me tell you, it was a HUGE challenge

I went out to a national park near my house and went to a wooded area and picked one spot on a branch of a tree and focused on it. I've been told to focus on a flame or what have you but I liked the nature feel. The goal is to stare at one spot and make that your total focus and block out all thoughts that come into your mind. Just be there with out being there, make sense?

Well for the first 30 seconds I felt like I had it, then as if of no control of my own thoughts just starting jumping at me and I had to make a huge effort to cancel them out.

The funny thing that happened was that after about 30 minutes of this I felt a calm come over me, I was able to focus for a good portion and then when I came out of it I really felt peaceful and "still".

So I challenge you to spend 20 minutes sitting in a room and trying to block out any thoughts, just think nothing. See how you feel, it's really hard to put into words but I kind of digged it a lot. I am clearly not a mediation guru but after just doing it once I can appreciate what meditation has to offer.

Use "Blocking" to Take Back Control of Your Day

Let me ask you a few questions...

Do you feel like there is never enough time in the day?

Do you feel like you have a million things running on in your head and it's stressing you out?

Do you feel like you have so much to do, but at the end of the day you feel like you haven't accomplished anything?

Well, the good news is that you are not alone and the better news is that there is a simple and EXTREMELY effective technique you can use that will get you back in the control of your life. (You're gonna show life who's boss!) I've adapted this concept from Tony Robbins, he is da' man.

Here is the 3 Step Formula
1. Change your perception from what you have to "do" to what you want your outcome to be. This alone instantly changes how you will perceive the task at hand.
2. Block similar things together
3. Block out distractions

Step 1.
When you think of all of the million of things you have to do, it will freak you out! Honestly, who likes doing research? or other tedious jobs. If you think about it as just the tedious job at hand, you'll likely want to punch yourself in the left nostril. But if you focus on what doing that tedious job will get you (finished project, more money, etc) it becomes much more exciting.

Step 2.
So this is what you do, think about ALL of the things that you need to accomplish right now. Yeah, this is probably going to be frustrating to see ALL OF THE THINGS you have to do.

But you'll probably notice multiple things that all focus under a similar category. Such as a particular topic, phone calls, emails, etc. Put all of the things that are similar together. Why? Because the first thing doing this does is that it puts everything under one block so it seems less daunting. The second thing, it allow you to focus on the main task at hand and move forward. For Example, if you had to apply for an internship, work on your resume, & send follow up emails. All of that would fall under the block of "Getting the Experience I need to get my dream job" Doesn't that sound more exciting?

Step 3.
Block out distractions. What this means is YOU MUST LOG OUT OF FACEBOOK! you must turn off your email (unless it is your task at hand), you must not have YouTube open, you must turn the TV off, you most remove all distractions while you are doing your Blocking. Trust me, nothing beats pure focus.

Try it out and let me know how it works for you :)

Arel Moodie is the founder of Arel Moodie International (AMI) which created The College Success Program, The most complete program out there to help students succeed in college and in life. Programs focusing on students of color and men of color in higher education, it's about time this was created.