The Digital Revolution has, no doubt, had its perks. Still, being connected to everyone and everything comes with real downsides – particularly, the fact its nearly impossible to “turn off”. Work emails now follow us long after we leave the office, and social media updates flash across our screens all day, every day. The distractions are endless, and in a world of push notifications, it’s harder to focus now more than ever. Fortunately, you aren’t doomed, nor are you alone. We’re here to help you be present and stay focused, even when it feels like the universe is conspiring against you.

Finding the Root of It All

To be fair, distractions can actually be healthy. Of course we aren’t suggesting that it’s good to entertain every single little thought that pops in your head – we actually work hard to help our patients not do that. But, in some cases, distractions do serve as a means of self preservation. After all, why should our bodies waste precious energy on something we aren’t emotionally committed to? If we aren’t emotionally invested in what we’re doing, either because we’re unsure about how to achieve our goals or are simply unhappy with the task at hand, we’re going to get distracted easily.

With our clients, more often than not, we see that a lack of focus boils down to a matter of priorities – what is it we want to accomplish, and what is it that’s preventing us from doing so?

Recognizing the root of our distraction is key, not only for the current state of our well being, but for the future of it as well. If distractions are coming from a lack of clarity about how to move forward, getting help or advice on how to do so is the simple solution. If distractions are coming from a place of unhappiness, like being burned out from work, recognizing that kind of disconnect actually exists must be the first step. It’s natural to lose focus, but when we let the distraction take over, rather than actively work through it, that’s when it becomes unhealthy.

Focus and Fatigue  

We’ve discussed signs of fatigue and their relationship to stress, and, you guessed it, lack of focus is related to fatigue too. It makes sense, doesn’t it?

Our bodies have one pool of energy for everything we do, and at the end of the day, focus requires energy. If we’re fatigued, we don’t have as much, and unfortunately, we can’t just go out and buy more. Similarly, stress blurs the boundaries on how energy is being spent. We’re stressed mentally, but there are also physical and emotional ramifications. We unconsciously start to hunch our shoulders, we don’t breath as deeply, and suddenly molehills turn into mountains. Our minds have an immune system function, working to intercept and handle many of the more subtle stressors that we come into contact with daily. However, over time, if we are fatigued and the stressors are too many or too intense, it can become impossible for that “immune system” function to keep up, and stressors can ultimately overwhelm us. At that point we need help, and that is where Deep Root Medicine can come in.

Strategies for Success

We here at Deep Root are big fans of breathing (hopefully you are too). We’ve dedicated an entire post to it , because we believe it is the most natural, and one of the most effective, tools we have to keep our minds and bodies in harmony. If you are having trouble staying focused, get up. Take a quick walk. Take some time, even if its just five minutes, to reconnect with your body and breath. Recognize what components of your life are in and out of your control. For those things that may not be in your control, like job you may not love but that you really need, identify things within your day that motivate you or you actually enjoy to get you through those tough moments. If you like to travel, use the thought of an upcoming trip to power through your to-do list and make your week go by that much faster. Remember that your life is more than work, and that you are worth more than just what you are paid for – your life and the meaning of it is not for just your job, and the stresses and successes and failures of that job, to decide for you. And if breathing isn’t enough sometimes, come see us. Try acupuncture.  Let us help you relax and come home to yourself, so that when all the little stressors do pile up, you’re able to stay rooted, calm, and focused.

The Age of Distractions

The biggest takeaway we want you to have from this is that, by no means, are you alone. It’s natural to be stressed and fatigued and to lose focus. It’s a systemic and structural problem that we, in our own small way, are working hard to address.

Dealing with all the stressors of day to day life requires active management, not crossing our fingers and hoping for the best.

From a young age, we’re conditioned to believe that if we can’t handle what life throws our way, something is wrong with us – that we’re not tough enough, dedicated enough, and so on. What people fail to mention is that our bodies have a breaking point. Our emotional wells can, at least temporarily, run dry. Dealing with all the stressors of day to day life requires active management, not crossing our fingers and hoping for the best. We’re here to help you find, and accept, what it is that you need to live life more fully.

For more information or to make an appointment, contact Pete at Deep Root Medicine.