One of the biggest problems most people with brain injuries experience is problems with attention / concentration. Sometimes it seems no matter what precautions or measures I take, I cannot stay focused on what I am trying to do. Regardless of adequate rest and sleep, exercise and setting, focus can elude me.
One time while I was learning to walk again, my neuropsychologist called out my name, distracting me just long enough for me to walk face-first into the doorjamb of the door I was about to walk through. I am the epitome of someone who cannot walk and talk at the same time. My focus is on where I am going.
Even my eyesight is affected by my brain injury, my eyes do not focus as fast as a normal person’s eyes, this is part of the reason I am legally blind. For these reasons, I am an anti-multitasker.
It seems like everywhere I turn people are trying to do a hundred things at once. In my opinion, multitasking can hinder performance instead of enhancing it. I want to refer back to the cliché I heard while I was growing up, “Jack of all trades, but masters of none.”
People want to do a little of this and a little of that and in the end do a whole lot of nothing. I don’t care how trendy it is to multitask; quality always suffers in the end. I see people all the time in the gym trying to read while working out. When they finish working out they get none of the benefits of either, because they never get a quality workout and they forget most of what they read.
Before anyone gets up in arms about this, rest assured medical science has proved this already, multitasking is an illusion at best[i]. It does more harm than good.
- Less Attentiveness.
- Impedes learning.
- Limits mindfulness.[ii]
For these reasons, I like to complete one project at a time. I can have other projects on my mind and write notes down about them, but I never begin writing anything until I finish a project I’ve already started.
Although this may seem time-consuming and counterproductive to some reading this, for me it’s the best way to get the quality writing I strive to produce. I’m determined to stay focused.
Focus?
When I first began blogging over a decade ago, I wanted to create content that was deep and meaningful; I wanted to make an impact on my audiences. So I spent a lot of time writing in an attempt to add depth to my words.
Soon my posts were 4,000 words in length. In my mind, I equated length with depth, but after years of studying, I’ve learned the opposite is true. Because the human attention span is so short, more words can take away from our message.
When we lose our audiences’ attention, we lose our purpose for writing, all because we’ve lost the focus of our message. After my writing mentor read my blog, she pointed out that I had two or three different blogs combined into one.
She advised me to write shorter more focused blogs. Which meant I needed to stay focused on my message and weed out excess.
Like most writers and creatives I like using certain literary devices to emphasize my point, such as the ones below:
- Analogies.
- Popular quotes.
- Clichés.
The problem is when these devices begin taking away from our theme instead of adding to it, often sending our readers down unwanted tangents. The wordiness distracts or bores our audience. Pretty soon, like the hungry cow grazing in a pasture without paying attention to its surroundings, we end up out in the middle of nowhere.
This is why author Jerry B Jenkins teaches that less is more. The best writers are economical writers; they make the most by using the least amount of words. This is laser-focused writing.
Concentrated?
Lasers work by concentrating light or energy onto a specific point which magnifies its power. Focused writing is much more powerful than lengthy writing. When we concentrate on our theme, our writing is more focused which benefits both us and our audiences.
- Brevity: Fewer words take less time to write and helps keep our audiences’ attention.
- Intelligible: Focused writing is straightforward and easier to learn.
- Clarity: Focused writing is less confusing because we know its purpose; there is no unnecessary information or clutter.
Personally, when I cannot concentrate, I tend to make more errors. Living with my brain injury has forced me to try to concentrate more and hopefully stay focused.
Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.
[i] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/science-clear-multitasking-doesnt-work/
[ii] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/science-clear-multitasking-doesnt-work/
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