Thoughts & Reflections
Consider jotting down a few notes, perhaps in a journal or notebook.
Last week, we focused on building awareness around distractions.
Here are some thoughts and questions to consider:
Using stats from Gallup, the American Institute of Stress and the World Health Organization, the Flow Research Collective (2022) reports that the average knowledge worker is only productive 2.3 hours per day and spends half of each day duplicating work done the week prior. Email is checked thirty-six times per hour and workers are interrupted fifty-six times per day. Thirty-six hours are wasted in unnecessary meetings each month and shockingly, the average knowledge worker only spends a total of eleven minutes focusing per day.
I shake my head in utter disbelief when I see statistics like this and I realize how valuable an ability to focus is in this world. Trends like these aren't much different in our schools, from my experience. Attention is fragile and our modern technologically-rich environments don't reward mono-tasking, deep focus. Our brains are made for survival and survival means noticing sounds, movements and actions in our environment, these days those cues are often found on our screens.
Action Ideas:
1. Without word or judgement, notice what owns your child's attention. Is it a screen, a book, nature, friends, family, pets, imagination, passion projects, etc.
2. How do you feel about where your child's attention is focused throughout the day. Is it upon high-value items within your value system?
3. What does your child do when a task gets frustrating? Are those actions and attitudes developing grit or are they escaping the uncomfortable or possibly seeking stimulation elsewhere? Simply notice.
4. Mentally evaluate your child's wellbeing, in terms of sleep, nutrition and exercise. Are there any weaknesses in the foundation?
5. Mentally evaluate the learning environment in terms of noise, clutter, visual distractions, negative self-talk, etc.
Reflect on all you've noticed. How does what you see compare to what you desire? Sit with it, without judgement.
Happy Boldschooling!
Feel free to review last week's recording where we looked at leaning into the struggle stage of learning.
https://www.boldschoolers.com/blog/struggle
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