3 OLD-SCHOOL TIPS FOR CONCENTRATION Lessons From the Monks
Even before technology started taking over our lives, human beings had trouble focusing. Not even medieval monks had it easy in the distraction department, at least not from their perspective. According to University of Georgia associate professor Jamie Kreiner, 15th century monks regularly worried that they weren’t giving their studies and prayers the focused concentration they deserved. Today, with smartphones constantly buzzing in our pockets, we can all relate to those problems. Luckily for us, those ancient monks figured out a few timeless strategies to aid their concentration. Next time you’re struggling to write a business plan because you have 1,000 emails sitting in your inbox, consider these tips.
— families, properties, businesses, day-to- day drama — not only to erode their sense of individual entitlement but also to ensure they wouldn’t be preoccupied by that stuff in their professional lives of prayer,” Kreiner writes in “How to Reduce Digital Distractions: Advice From Medieval Monks.” You don’t need to go quite that far, but giving up some things (like distracting apps) could help narrow your focus. WORK IT OUT According to Kreiner, monks often supplemented their studies with physical labor. “They found it easier to concentrate when their bodies were moving, whether they were baking or farming or weaving,” she writes. Occupying the body frees the mind, so for a modern twist, try brainstorming while you run, mow the lawn, or do the dishes. IMAGINE THAT To stay zeroed in on a story or memorize a chain of facts, ancient monks would imagine a series of vivid,
Me standing in front of the Buddha at the Po Lin Monastery in Hong Kong while working on my MBA at UNC Chapel Hill studying abroad at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, circa 2005.
related images or even capture them in art, with each image or section of an image corresponding to a fact. Kreiner uses this approach with her own students and says it makes critical thinking “feel less like a slog and more like a game.” All three of these strategies can aid your concentration, but none of them will eliminate mental interruptions entirely. As Kreiner puts it, “Distraction is an old problem, and so is the fantasy that it can be dodged once and for all.”
KEEP IT SIMPLE In order to keep their concentration pure, monks turned to
renunciation. “Monks and nuns were supposed to give up the things that most people loved
THE BEST GRILLED SUMMER VEGETABLES
Inspired by DinnerAtTheZoo.com
"IF EVERYTHING'S UNDER CONTROL, YOU'RE GOING TOO SLOW."
INGREDIENTS
• 1 tsp salt • 1/4 tsp pepper • 1 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning • 1 1/2 tsp garlic, minced • 2 lbs assorted vegetables, trimmed and halved
carrots, and yellow squash are great on the grill)
• 5 tbsp olive oil • 2 tbsp lemon juice • 1/4 cup parsley leaves, chopped
–Mario Andretti
(asparagus, mushrooms, red onion, red bell peppers, baby
DIRECTIONS
1. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic. 2. Brush vegetables with olive oil and place in a large bowl. Top with lemon juice and seasoning mixture. Toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes but no longer than 2 hours. 3. Prepare the grill at medium-high heat. 4. Grill vegetables in batches, cooking 3–5 minutes on each side until browned and tender. (Carrots will cook longer, 6–9 minutes per side.) 5. Remove from the grill, sprinkle with parsley, and serve hot.
415-429-1229 | 3
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs