Attention Traps

Our attention is a gift that changes those who receive it. The quality of this gift is often diminished by the unconscious ways we pay attention—these are attention traps.

An example of an attention trap is “problem solving”: some of us pay most of our attention to problems and because of this we have become effective problem-solvers. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but the world has so much more to offer than its problems—like its beauty and functionality. Having our attention caught by problems can also get in the way of our relationships, both intimate and collegial, which can drain our energy. Another trap for many of us is that our attention is caught by our concerns of the future. We focus most of our attention on work deadlines, team commitments, or other tasks to be done at work or home. As a result we are not as relaxed as we could be, and thus unable to take advantage of what is really available to us in the moment.