How To Stay FOCUSED In A Chaotic World

With everything going on the past few years, it can be exceedingly difficult, if not downright impossible, to remain as productive as you normally would have in the pursuit of your goals and values. Achieving goals requires having an adequate understanding of the landscape and identifying the potential obstacles. With so much changing so drastically on literally a day by day basis lately, reassessing also has to happen on a day by day basis.

But there are some strategies and techniques you can use to minimize the negative impact that current events are having on your life. Today, I want to discuss a few of these. Additionally, these techniques do not just apply to 2022. You can use them to varying degrees no matter what year it is of what current events are.

Keywords: Happiness | Focus | ADHD | Productivity | Free Article

Thinker Coach is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

The World Can Go On Without You

The first thing you can try is thinking about and recognizing that the world can (and will) keep doing its crazy, mad things whether you are a part of it or not. Do not feel like you are responsible or obligated to take part in what is going on around you in the world. Your life is yours and nobody else’s. If you choose to be a part of current events, then recognize that as such—as a CHOICE you have made, with all the consequences (good or bad) that comes with it.

Otherwise, just acknowledge what is taking place in the world and then move on in your thinking and your life. You are not evading what is going on in the world or “putting your head in the sand” as some might accuse you of doing. Instead, you are simply declaring that you own your life, and that you are making the choice to not be involved, either physically or mentally. The events around you will try to suck you in. But if you do not want to be involved, then don’t. And, more importantly, do not accept or acknowledge any guilt coming from other people’s judgment of your decision. Your life and involvement is not theirs to command—it is yours.

…but before we continue, please take a moment to learn about my new eBook "Clearly Thinking":

…and now, back to the article!

Let Others Do The Fighting

One of the best things you can do if you have decided that you get no enjoyment participating in the social and political fighting is to simply support those who do. If you have decided that your values in life are threatened by current events and want to hold true to and defend your values, then think about financially supporting those voices out there in the fight who support your values.

There is no reason you have to live a miserable life just because other people are attacking your values. There are people out there who actually enjoy the fighting. So let them. Then, after you have given them your support, put the whole thing out of your mind and go focus on your own life and your own flourishing. You will have stayed true to your values, and therefore your integrity, while also retaining your happiness.

Make Your Life Your Whole World

With any of these strategies, the end goal is the same. Your own life should be your whole world. Your values, your goals, your productivity, your friends, your loved ones, your flourishing. This does not mean you are “self-centered” in the pejorative way. It is simply that you are declaring that all those things I just listed are yours and chosen by you. That your life is yours. The things and people you surround yourself with are in your life because you have chosen them and they too reflect (in whole or in part) some value that you yourself hold.

Now making your life your world can take many forms. Perhaps it takes the form of drastically reducing your social media circles to just those few, highly valued people in your life, and ignoring anyone who tries to bring the outside world into your life.

Alternatively, it may take the form of a physical and environmental change. Think about actually relocating (either temporarily or permanently) to a different location. Perhaps a remote one where you can be away from it all. These days, everyone is working remotely anyway. So as long as you can get a cell phone signal, you can still work and be productive in many cases. So start exploring what you could do and where you could go. Even if it means having to take a loss like selling your home in a down market or taking a pay cut in your job or career. The rewards to your mental health and overall happiness may be far greater.

Conclusion

The biggest harm to productivity is distraction, mentally or physically. There are numerous ways you can unburden your mind with all the things going on in the world. In the end, the only thing that matters in your life is YOU and those you choose to surround yourself with. So, start choosing—the choice is yours and it always was.

• Please follow me on Twitter @ThinkerCoach

Friends, Please help my grow by providing a testimony on my content and how I have helped you at the following:

Thank you so much! I wish you clear thinking, my friends!