Boosting Attention and Generating Ideas through Scatter Focus | Hyper Focus by Chris Bailey -The Odd Angle

Do you also get ideas while sitting on a commode seat or while casually walking and sometimes while washing utensils or maybe during getting a shower.

I personally have got many blog ideas and solutions to the problems which I am not thinking consciously while doing such activities of social reproduction.

Why do we encounter our creative side when we are actually not engaging consciously with the activities of creation or in production? The answer lies in a concept called Scatterfocus which I have borrowed from Chris Bailey's book Hyperfocus. 

What is Scatterfocus?

Scatterfocus, as presented in Hyperfocus, is the intentional practice of letting your mind wander freely. It's the opposite of hyperfocus, where you concentrate intensely on a single task. Scatterfocus allows your mind to explore various ideas and make unexpected connections without the pressure of achieving a specific outcome. Bailey calls it "Scatterfocus" because in it, our attention scatters to focus on nothing in particular. While Hyperfocus involves directing your attention, inside your own mind. 

Too often we are advised to stay focused and attentive, but it drains our energy and simultaneously reduces our creativity. I remember whenever I try to write blogs or prepare speeches to deliver or I have to write an assignment, I intentionally like to think about it and complete it in a long period of time instead of completing it in one go. Most of my speeches are actually prepared during walks or during interactions with people when I am actually not engaging with the task of speech making. Many a times phenomena strikes me which I can use as analogies and words as metaphors in my speeches. I have been doing it since long but I wasn't aware that I was actually engaged in scatter focus since I was in school. I remember I would keep preparing a speech till the very moment I delivered it. I had many ideas and more stuff than I actually needed which always made me more confident. To be honest we have all been trained to imbibe ourselves with information and knowledge so much so that we have actually stopped noticing our own thoughts which translate into ideas. Bailey also says when we are surrounded by so many novel stimulating objects of attention, most of us don't want to be left alone with our thoughts. We have been resistant to mind wandering which happens to be the greatest source of ideas for humans. We want to constantly be engaged and focused and productive which actually leads to stagnation of ideas and creativity. Even Boredom which we often tend to avoid is actually the stimulus for entering into Scatterfocus. We all feel really restless or sometimes even anxious when we are nonengaged or idle, think about last time you were waiting for somebody it feels so bad and complaining but if you could control yourself and not use phone or dive into digital social world then you could actually find yourself in ideas and thoughts about things which you often miss consciously. I remember once I had to meet one of my friend on her birthday, we agreed to meet on Rajeev Chowk Metro station However due to some work she got late and I had to wait almost wait for an hour but then I did this self experiment to not to use social media for an hour no matter how bored I got. I then played this instrumental music and sat on a bench and let my mind wander. It felt like someone actually opened the tap of ideas and thoughts. I was actually noticing people trying to go through their lives, minds and guessing their thoughts. I actually got ideas about many things, I could contemplate on varying things and I don't know why but I could actually feel more peaceful and rejuvenated instead of frustrated or restless about time waste. All in all it was a sort of spiritual experience. Scatterfocus actually Reduces Stress and Burnout, Taking breaks from intense focus allows your mind to recharge and can lead to increased productivity in the long run. If I would have been focusing on time lost or something else instead I accepted the time of boredom and let my mind wander freely which actually led to some peaceful experience. Apart from embracing boredom one actually contemplates on issues and problems and due to mind wandering we get solutions by combining instances and insights which we otherwise do not consider worth thinking. QScatterfocus can help break mental blocks and lead to new perspectives on an existing challenge. Even Chris Bailey claims that scatterfocus leads to Improved Problem-Solving. Moreover Scatterfocus allows for the consolidation of information and memories, enhancing learning and recall. Most importantly Letting your mind wander can activate the default mode network (DMN) in the brain, which is associated with creativity and problem-solving. What I try to say is that Scatterfocus leads Enhanced Creativity, by letting your mind wander, you can stumble upon new ideas and solutions you wouldn't have found through focused thinking alone.

Consciously Engaging in Scatterfocus

 So far we have discussed various ways in which scatterfocus can help us either in enhanced creativity, reducing stress and burnout also in terms of problem-solving but it would be injustice if I dont tell you How could you actually incorporate Scatterfocus into their daily routines. Initially to begin one could include taking a mindful walk, doodling, or engaging in activities that stimulate different parts of the brain (listening to music, reading fiction). I personally have started reading fiction after a lot of selfhelp consumption. It helps me to learn present interestingly and simultaneously deviating from normal Hyperfocus things. Some of my friends are actually very good fiction readers, I often get some great suggestions from Bala, Vageesha and currently I am reading Sidney Sheldon suggested by Sushree, and it's actually helping me alot in terms of scatterfocus. 

As this is just one example but Chris actually suggested three styles of scatter focus which you can employ which shall help you without wasting time.

1. Capture mode

On weekly basis, You can sit with a coffee, a pen and a notebook and wait to see what comes to your mind and consciousness. You will get many things to accomplish, it will remind you of things you forgot and tell you about intentions that you can set. 

2. Problem crunching mode

This mode is useful when you want to brainstorm a solution to a particular problem. To get into this mode, hold a problem in your mind and let your mind wander around it, turn it over and explore it in various ways. It gives you creative solutions to complex problems. 

3. Habitual mode

This mode is easiest to execute and fit into your routine. You do habitual tasks which do not require complete focus or cognition. Habitual tasks such as walking, or doing daily tasks have shown to produce the greatest number of creative insights. I personally get into Scatterfocus while washing utensils or clothes and sometimes ideas strike me or a certain phrase which I find interesting. I then wash my hands and rush to the table where I write it down in my diary. One can actually use such modes to uncover the hidden ideas in our consciousness.

Authored by: Jatin Mathur

Only way to guarantee Growth is to self improve and develop oneself everyday.

Follow us

The Odd Angle

@theoddangle_ /Instagram 

If you have something to share send here: 

theoddangle5566@gmail.com