Latest / Sri Aurobindo Studies / Concentration Helps the Individual Successfully Accomplish More Tasks in Less Time
Transcript
- 0:01It is frequently noted that certain individuals seem to
- 0:04accomplish more, and despite enormous commitments, they seem
- 0:09ready to take on more and do even more than they are doing.
- 0:13On the other hand, there are individuals who seem to have a
- 0:16low threshold of action and they seem to never have the time to
- 0:21take on anything else. The difference is found in the
- 0:24ability to concentrate, focus one's time and attention, and
- 0:29organize the action to use time optimally.
- 0:33Planning is the first step in taking on more projects.
- 0:37Many things can actually be interwoven together without
- 0:40breaking the concentration. There is no reason why an
- 0:44individual cannot actually manage multiple activities
- 0:47concurrently through the use of concentration.
- 0:51For example, certain things need input from others, such as
- 0:55additional information or context.
- 0:58Those who have learned how to concentrate can immediately spot
- 1:02the deficiencies in the factual background needed and set things
- 1:06in motion to acquire that information, while they turn
- 1:10their immediate attention to the next task at hand.
- 1:14After giving full and complete concentrated focus on that task,
- 1:19they find that the next task is ready to be undertaken as the
- 1:23needed facts or materials have been assembled.
- 1:27So much time and energy gets wasted in the distractions that
- 1:31it sets back the speed and accuracy of all work that is
- 1:34undertaken. Concentration amplifies the
- 1:38signal while reducing the noise in the focus of the energy,
- 1:43thereby ensuring that projects are accomplished correctly and
- 1:47in a timely manner. In today's world, concentration
- 1:52is difficult to achieve with the constant interruptions due to
- 1:55telephone, social media, Internet, and personal
- 1:59interactions that do not acknowledge boundaries.
- 2:02Generally, the individual who has learned how to concentrate
- 2:07also creates the necessary framework and boundaries to
- 2:11minimize disruptions. Concentration involves both a
- 2:16negative and a positive aspect. The negative aspect is one that
- 2:21excludes the distractions and interruptions.
- 2:25The positive aspect is one that focuses the attention, like a
- 2:29laser beam on what needs to be accomplished.
- 2:33The mother observes. Quote When you work, if you are
- 2:37able to concentrate, you can do absolutely in 10 minutes what
- 2:41would otherwise take you one hour.
- 2:44If you want to gain time, learn to concentrate.
- 2:48It is through attention that one can do things quickly and one
- 2:52does them much better. If you have a task that should
- 2:56take you half an hour, I don't say if you have to write for
- 3:00half an hour, of course, But if you have to think and your mind
- 3:04is floating about. If you are thinking not only of
- 3:08what you are doing, but also of what you have done and of what
- 3:11you will have to do, and of your other subjects, all that makes
- 3:16you lose thrice as much time as you need to do your task when
- 3:20you have too much to do. You must learn how to
- 3:23concentrate exclusively on what you are doing with an intensity
- 3:27in your attention, and you can do in 10 minutes what would
- 3:31otherwise take you one hour. End Quote reference Sri
- 3:37Aurobindo and the Mother Powers within, Chapter 4 Concentration
- 3:43page 42.