Get focused and begin to "flow"
By Chris Stamas
When my roommate goes to the library, he packs the necessities to endure the visit: headphones, iPod, laptop and laptop charger. Entertainment items far outweigh study materials. Often times upon returning he jokes that zero school work was accomplished, although he discovered some awesome bands he insists I check out.It's not a stretch to say that many students suffer from the same lack of concentration as my roommate. From a glance around the library, one might think that Facebook is a study tool. Amongst my friends, medication such as Adderall and Ritalin are used as crutches to fight this epidemic of shortening attention spans. While some may suffer from attention deficit disorder, others have not taught themselves to concentrate fully on what is in front of them.
After reading a book this summer, I came to the conclusion that long attention spans are not innate, but rather practiced and learned. Those able to block out distractions and achieve elevated levels of concentration will achieve success both now and later in life regardless of the activity.
In Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's "Flow," the author illustrates that achieving optimal experience, or "flow," leads to success and, ultimately, to happiness. Everyone has achieved a state of flow at one point. It is reached when your attention is completely invested in an activity leaving no room in your mind for irrelevant thoughts.
Hobbies allow people to easily achieve flow, but those that are able to experience it during more mundane activities will truly flourish. During a good movie, for example, anyone can focus to the point where they lose track of time. In contrast, only straight-A students can completely focus their attention on studying for extended periods of time.
Successful individuals share the characteristic of achieving high levels of focus both easily and frequently. For instance, athletes are able to eliminate all distractions - fans, hecklers, internal thoughts - the moment the game begins. Those who are best at this rise above the rest.Flow can also be seen every day in the classroom. When good professors discuss their area of expertise, observe the passion they exude. If students did not remind them that class is over, they could lecture for hours. While they weren't on fire in the sports sense, they were clearly in the zone.I wish I could let you in on the secret formula to achieving flow. Sadly, one does not exist. This skill is honed no differently than anything else - through time and effort.
The way to practice is to focus intently on one thing at a time, whether it is reading, conversing with friends or doing homework. Anytime you feel the need to check your cell phone or take a break, concentrate that much harder on what you're doing.When you're at the library this fall, attempt to do the unthinkable: turn off your cell phone and avoid checking your Facebook. Let the flow take over and you'll be surprised at how rewarding your current activity becomes.
Chris Stamas is a senior political science major