Attention Grabbing Life
I’m just sat here at my computer at the end of a lovely day of rest and have a thought to share. As this blog is multi-purpose and has already attracted visitors from the UK, the USA and Poland (I know this thanks to the joys of Google Analytics), I can write about non-website, non-SEO topics sometimes.
Although I guess there could be a link, as this is a Sunday, my purpose is not to highlight the business benefits but to advocate that there is a right time to turn off.
This week I have been struck by the number of different things that compete for our attention. Even just sat here on my laptop. For once I have two tabs open (this one and Analytics), but usually there are many others (the joys of working on websites and SEO). But think about it.
Take one example – Facebook: lets you add many friends, networking contacts, pages, interest groups, newsgroups and goodness only knows how much else. Don’t get me wrong, I am on FB most days. However, all of these things want your attention, your time, your thoughts. And of course, Facebook Ads, want your money, or the revenue they get when you click an Ad.
And that’s one social networking site out of many players. Then there’s e-mails, blogs, forums and instant messaging (although less so now than, say 7 or 8 years ago). You have search engines wanting their share of the “search market” (that’s you, by the way) and advertisers using the Internet, Radio, TV, Newspapers, Billboards, Signposts, posters, fliers, business cards, mailshots (etc etc etc) all wanting your business.
And of course, any time you sit at a search engine (I don’t support one over another per se, but balance the big G with Bing and add a dash of Yahoo), with every typing of a key, web pages, businesses, charities and others want to outrank each other to get YOUR attention. (did you realise you were this important?).
Life is out, it seems to grab your attention. There are just so many voices, so many so-called experts, trying to tell you how to lead your life, what clothes to wear and what to spend your money on. Your job could tell you to earn more money, get more prestige, strive for success.
You see, simply by listing these things above, it’s tiring just reading them and we put ourselves through this day in, day out.
But why do we listen to so many voices? Periodically I have the overwhelming desire to shut them all out and get some peace and quiet – because that’s what we lack in our lives sometimes, is peace. Being a Christian, I believe true peace can only come through knowing Christ. But I still have to organise myself.
There’s a time for social networking sites – I use FB (mOxby Design) and Twitter (moxby_design) and I have a website (mOxby Design). Am I wanting you to click any of the above as I’ve added links? Today, no. Tomorrow’s a different matter.
But I want to encourage you to take time out. To relax. To drown out the many voices with a wonderful silence and seek peace.
And then tomorrow, promise you’ll give your attention to things that matter. Don’t give your precious time to everything, because it can’t be done. Prioritise. Do your social networking then turn off your Facebook tab. If necessary, close the e-mails every so often and stop mobile devices from getting your attention. I believe doing less things (not less activity) is actually the way to do the important things better.
But decide today, which voices are important, and disregard those that aren’t.
