How to be More Present Than a Goldfish

A major driver of employee engagement is whether people feel their leaders have genuine concern for their well-being.  The best way to do that is to engage in face-to-face communications with your employees, all the while staying present and in the moment.  However, in our society today, many people choose to be tied to their electronic devices 24/7 and are more distracted than ever.

As reported in Time magazine this year, “The average attention span for the notoriously ill-focused goldfish is nine seconds.”  According to a study from Microsoft, people now generally lose concentration after eight seconds, highlighting the effects of an increasingly digitized lifestyle on the brain.

Is this really the dream you envisioned for your life as a child?  To be less present than a bright orange fish that dwells in a bowl?  I didn’t think so, but the good news is that you can change it.

Here are a few ideas to help you on your journey to be more present than a goldfish:

•   Turn off your phone during every meal and while you are asleep.
•   Turn off your phone when interacting face-to-face with your employees.
•   Boycott Facebook for 30 days once a quarter.
•   Check your personal email once a day.
•   Leave your phone at home when you go out to exercise.
•   Boycott work while on vacation.

One of the most magical gifts you can give anyone is to be fully present in the moment.  Start today!