Science has proven that multi-tasking isn’t effective.  It can’t be done.

You think you’re doing more in less time and space…but in reality you are doing one, two, three or more things INEFFECTIVELY.

As a thought experiment try quieting input into your mind.

News reports, social media, and the host of information sources we bombard ourselves with everyday present information in choppy, short bursts.

These “Packets” of information train our brain to think in brief, shallow terms.  Our ability to think deeply wanes from atrophy.

We lose insight into why we feel the way we do.

Are you in a bad mood today?  Like a tummy-ache, consuming too many packets of emotionally charged informational snippets can wreck your day.

Feeling overwhelmed, emotional, ineffective, or unfocused?

Consider turning off the flow.  Try a Media Fast

The god-given potential for this human machine of ours is unbelievable. There
is an athlete and a warrior in everybody. It’s essentially part of our DNA. It’s
hard-coded. But we’ve been kind of brought up in a society that has led us
to believe that hard work is really not for everybody, it’s only for a few select
people, like first responders, and it’s okay to kind of just get by and go to
the gym, or to eat all that junk food and not take responsibility and blame it
on society. That background, or that belief system, is really dangerous and
needs to be rooted out and eliminated.

–Mark Divine…Former US Navy Seal

For the last few months I have lacked focus and motivation. Sure I’ve pushed through my clinical duties but my passion for delievering new material to the TRIBE waned.  Life, work, and business compete for our time,  energy, and creativity.  Sometimes we can feel less productive or even stagnant.

It was while reflecting on my motivation that I came across a small Lemon tree growing in my backyard.  The tree  caught my attention and reminded of a qoute.

“Most of life’s problems can be solved in a Garden” –Geoff Lawton

No, the tree didn’t talk to me…but it did share a story.

By all accounts the tree “looked” healthy–green leaves, thick expanding trunk, a few buds but only one lonely plump lemon.

This got me thinking.

There’s a season for everything.

This little tree did the best it could this year….It grew, maintained itself, and even showed a little hope for better times in the spring (Buds).

Despite recent climatic adversity (less rain, intense heat last year, cold winter) this lemon tree still produced something of value.

This little lemon tree eased my mind and helped refocus me. It reminded me that we all have seasons of more or less production.

We all face adversity, frustration, pests and disease. Despite all that, we all can still have hope and produce something to share with the world.

Nature shows us the value of recharging, conserving energy, refocusing, growing deeper roots, and preparing for seasons of greater bounty and productivity.

I’m thankful for my lemons and my wise little tree.

Christmas is forever, not for just one day,
for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away
like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.
The good you do for others is good you do yourself…

 

~Norman Wesley Brooks