My Recent Encounter with Time and Attention

I have had one of those weeks that invariably leads to the same frustration.  Every Sunday evening, I dutifully capture what tasks I plan to accomplish in the week ahead. My list of to-dos is prioritized, categorized, and overlaid on my calendar to ensure I know when I will pay attention to what and for how long. The product of my planning efforts leave me feeling empowered to tackle the week to come.  It is now Friday afternoon, and I find myself scrambling and frustrated. I look at the clock and wonder how it is that the more I have to do the faster time passes by. 

My issue isn’t with the nature of my work. My career as a technology entrepreneur has given me the wonderful opportunity to earn a living pursuing a broad array of interests and subjects, about which I feel strongly, to help create opportunities and solve problems.

My problem isn’t with my tasks; it’s with my attention.  On Sunday evening, I seem to believe I will have control over when, where, how, and on what I will focus my attention. I consistently fail to appreciate that my attention is unintentionally allocated as a result of forces beyond my control - and even awareness - far more often than I knew.  

My experience this past week has prompted me to dive a bit deeper into what it means to design for and create value in the context of the Attention Economy. Keep an eye out for upcoming posts that do just that.