We hear it at work. Focus. We tell our kids. Focus. We tell ourselves. Focus. The assertion is that if we focus, things will get easier, better, or go away. What if that’s not always the case though? What if the best thing we can do in some situations is to do the exact opposite, Defocus.
The old adage is true. Sometimes we can’t see the forest through the trees. There are innumerable instances every day, week, month and year when we pay so much attention to a single thing that it impedes our ability to see the bigger picture. Defocusing doesn’t mean we stop looking at something. It means changing the way we look at it. We stake a step back, take a few deep breaths, clear our thoughts and then….refocus.
The step back is simple but often hard to take. It’s not an admission of weakness or guilt. It’s the beginning of a critical thinking reboot that can allow us to see causes, dependencies, or residual problems differently. In turn, we can determine where to refocus and hopefully make better headway toward solving the dilemma.
No, this isn’t a philosophical hall pass to ignore problems or difficulties. It’s simply a reminder that there are times when consciously defocusing can bring things into a better and more positive….focus.