I am probably the world’s strangest blogger. I own a laptop, iPad, and smartphone, yet I choose to do most of my writing with a pencil. There is no accidental publish with a pencil, and no way to get distracted. Writing slowly forces me to clarify my thoughts and gives me time to consider whether my words convey those thoughts well.
I need all the concentration I can get.
Unfortunately, I have realized that I am stealing the gift of concentration from my kids. Oh, how often I encourage them to focus. I repeat the words over and over — only to flit out of the room to do one quick load of laundry or pick up the phone and chat while they try to write.
Ouch.
In his book The Flickering Mind Todd Oppenheimer warns us of the danger of becoming a victim of novelty and distraction. I want better for my kids.
So, what can I do to fix my own spaciness? I have a few ideas.
- I’m going to turn off that dumb phone. It is such a habit for me to pick up a ringing phone. I do it without checking who it is or whether it is a good time for me simply because, like Pavlov’s dog, I heard a bell. My friends love me. They will understand if I ignore them for a few hours.
- I am going to make sure that the kids’ school space is ready for them. There is no reason for me to dart in and out like a nutty butterfly. If we have what we need, we can all settle in and get to work. I know what I need to do to be prepared for the day. I just need to get up and do it.
- I will let the housework go. It will drive me crazy for a bit, but I need to do this. Popping in and out of the room for “a quick thing” is eating away at our time. It isn’t necessary. The floor doesn’t really need to be swept under my kids’ feet in the middle of a math test – come on self! Time to get it together.
- I will turn off the internet. Not for the kids, but for myself. I become unavailable when my mind is pre-occupied, and the internet is one of the easiest black holes for my brain to hide in. In order to teach well I need to be present in the moment, not researching which science materials we will need next week. That research can (and should) be done at another time, and I can jot notes to myself with my beloved pencil during class time instead of turning on the computer.
Okay. Pencils up! It is time to get to work.
In Praise of the Pencil
I have given up on housework too. I found that I was trying to do way to much at once and therefore things were not going well at all. Now the house is a mess but I feel better about being more focused.
I still write with pencil more than on the computer. I have journals and scrapbooks – by my bedside, in my purse, in my laptop backpack..beside the laptop. Half of it has never found it’s way on to my blog. But I am going to try and change that this year.
I just like the feel of pencil/pen to paper. the scratch of the lines.
and I never ever answer the phone.
Very good thoughts. My husband was just remarking on a similar thought to what you referenced above that he read in Ideas Have Consequence by Richard Weaver. The book seems to smart for my flickering mind. :) But I do think our culture continually encourages a short attention span and love for novelty.