productive, as long as you’re doing something you enjoy. But if your interest is in creating, separate your day.
Focus, Distraction and Happiness There’s more to focus and distraction than just creating, though. Constant connectivity and distractions, and a lack of focus, can affect our peace of mind, our stress levels, and our happiness. In the days when computers took up only part of our lives, there were times when we could get away from them, when we were disconnected from the grid. Unfortunately, many people still filled much of that time with watching television, which isn’t much better. But it’s important to get away from these constant distractions — we need some quiet, some time to reflect and contemplate, some time for solitude. Without it, our minds are constantly bombarded by information and sensations, unable to rest. That constantly stresses our minds in ways we’re not meant to handle. We need the rest. It’s important in ways we don’t often think about. We need to de-stress, and we need to recharge our mental batteries. Quiet and solitude and reflection lead to greater happiness when they’re a part of our daily lives, at least in some degree. What you do during this time — read, write, run, nap, sit, watch, listen, even have a quiet conversation, play, study, build — isn’t as important as the simple fact of having that time of disconnection. We’ll look at how to find this time, and how to find focus, in later chapters. At this point, we just need to note that these things are important. _______________
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