Reimagine: Your Attention

Welcome to Work Reimagined, the newsletter where we reimagine the way we work and live.

Time is your most valuable resource.

But… what if it’s not?

This week, I’m talking about what is truly your most valuable resource: attention.

Make sure you scroll down for my new favorite resource on managing your attention well!

— And I’ll be giving most of my attention next week to Spring Break! I’ll be back in your inboxes on Thursday 4/11! —

Does any of this sound familiar?

→ You have time to work, but then that time gets filled up with meetings so you don’t actually get anything done

→ You know that the number of hours you work does not dictate the quality of your work product

→ You never have enough uninterrupted, quiet time to let creativity bubble to the surface

→ You want to help people, but you have too many priorities to ever effectively work on any of them

You can have all the time in the world, but without the attention you need to devote to your priorities, that time is worthless.

The true power of your time lies in directing your attention to the right things at the right time–to what truly matters.

Protecting your attention is really difficult in today’s always-on, notification-driven world. But it is possible, with some commitment and persistence.

If you’re interested in learning more about the science of attention and strategies to train your attention, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Dr. Gloria Mark’s new book, Attention Span: Find Focus, Fight Distraction. You can also hear Dr. Mark on the Ezra Klein Podcast. Her work has inspired much of what we do at MatchPace!

And speaking of my work at MatchPace, you can find strategies for protecting and maximizing your attention in my book, Work Reimagined: How the power of pace can help your organization achieve a new level of focus, engagement, and satisfaction. Grab your copy today!

Working Well and Living Well

Daniel Kahneman’s writing has impacted me in both work and life.

From him, I’ve learned about the difference between the lived experience and the remembered experience (which is helpful when the lived experience of something is challenging, but then I know I’ll remember it more kindly, and it encourages me to persevere).

I’ve learned to be more conscious of my own biases, and more graceful when I notice them in others.

I’ve learned that my gut is not as reliable as I would like it to be, and to engage with data more honestly.

He passed away this week. The Atlantic’s obituary captures some of the complexity of his life - his deep pursuits, his mistakes, his challenging personal relationships, his commitment to keep trying.

If you’re not familiar with him, I encourage you to listen to his interview on the Armchair Expert podcast.

It will get you thinking about how you think, and give you new things to consider professionally and personally, and help you focus your attention better.

Keep reimagining!

Elizabeth

P.S. Follow me on LinkedIn for more insight about reimagining how we work and live, including real-world examples of how you can better manage your attention!