| People process the sensory data received by their | | | | distraction. Libraries were made for you because once |
| brains in different ways. How you process the sensory | | | | you control the sounds around you, you begin to |
| data in your brain has a lot to do with how, and when, | | | | control your focus. Earplugs, closed doors and white |
| you focus best. In order to discover how you process | | | | noise are your best defenses. By white noise, I mean |
| data, I'd like you to try this simple three-minute | | | | any continuous sound that keeps your overly sensitive |
| exercise... | | | | ears busy without distracting them-continuous being |
| 1. Get a piece of paper and divide it into three columns. | | | | the key word because if there is a disruption in that |
| 2. Title the first column sight, the second column sound, | | | | noise, you will notice. Some examples of white noise |
| and the third column smell, taste, feel. | | | | are: a television with the volume at a faint mumble, the |
| 3. Now, sit silently for three minutes, and write | | | | clatter and murmur of a local coffee shop, the trickling |
| whatever you happen to notice during those three | | | | water of a fountain, an air conditioner's hum, low |
| minutes in its corresponding column. If you hear a dog | | | | chanting, your own voice drowning out other noises |
| bark, for example, you write dog bark in the sound | | | | and soft music with no lyrics. "No lyrics" is important |
| column. If you see a bird fly by, you write bird in the | | | | because if audio people can hear words, they will start |
| sight column, and if you begin to feel uncomfortable, | | | | paying attention to those words. If you are audio, then |
| you write uncomfortable in the smell, taste, feel column, | | | | once you begin to control the sounds around you, you |
| and so on. | | | | will begin to expand your focus. |
| 4. When the three minutes are over, count how many | | | | Finally, if most of the items on your list were in the third |
| items you have in each column. | | | | column, you tend to be kinetic. Touch and smell are |
| 5. This exercise works best if you do it before you | | | | your dominant senses. Extremes in temperature, poor |
| read any further. | | | | airflow, obnoxious smells and cramped quarters are |
| The types of distractions that you noticed during those | | | | your concentration sappers. Kinetic people benefit |
| three minutes will indicate whether you are | | | | from controlling the space and smells around them. In |
| predominantly audio, visual or kinetic. And whether you | | | | fact, aromatherapy can actually aid a kinetic person's |
| are audio, visual or kinetic will have a lot to do with the | | | | concentration by giving them something upon which to |
| type of sensory data that steals your focus. | | | | concentrate. Kinetic people also benefit from improved |
| If most of the items on your list were in the sight | | | | airflow, air conditioning and heating systems. They're |
| column, then you tend to process information visually. | | | | the one type of person who must invest in |
| You are probably distracted by anything within your | | | | comfortable desk furniture because unless kinetic |
| line of sight. But when you control what enters your line | | | | people feel comfortable, they'll be unable to focus on |
| of sight, you also control your distractions. If you are | | | | the job at hand, and the investment in their comfort will |
| visual, you probably can't take your eyes off the | | | | be worth the expense. Kinetic people only really notice |
| flickering of a television. Bad lighting annoys you. Clutter | | | | what enters their personal space, so if you want to |
| most likely distracts and irritates you. And if you have | | | | hold a kinetic person's attention, you had better be |
| more than one project on your desk, you will have | | | | within their arms reach. If you are kinetic, then |
| difficulty focusing on the project at hand. You do not | | | | controlling your personal space will expand your ability |
| work well facing windows, messes, or crowded | | | | to focus. |
| rooms. But what you can't see won't distract you. So, | | | | Can you be all three types? Well, can people be |
| when you do need to concentrate, control what you | | | | ambidextrous? Of course! And the same holds true |
| have in your line of sight, and you will find concentrating | | | | for audio, visual and kinetic people. However, most |
| much easier. | | | | people do have one dominant sense, and they only |
| If most of the items on your list were in the sound | | | | notice the distractions to their other senses after their |
| column, you tend to be audio. You cannot ignore | | | | dominant sense has been distracted. I'm audio, for |
| sounds. If someone asks you a question, you are | | | | example, and the fact that my office is cramped, |
| compelled to respond. When you go to bed, you lie | | | | stuffy and cluttered only seems to affect my |
| awake-listening to the sound of your own thoughts | | | | concentration when my neighbor is playing loud music. |
| and hearing every drippy sink for miles. Noise steals | | | | By and large, when people control the distractions to |
| your focus and concentration. When you try to | | | | their dominant sense, the distractions to their other |
| concentrate in a noisy space, you are driven to | | | | senses don't bother them so much. |