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The quiet art of attention

(billwear.github.io)
865 points billwear | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.238s | source
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mzajc ◴[] No.41829454[source]
Well written! I can relate to most of the article. However, I find that

> To focus on one thing deeply, to give it your full attention, is to experience it fully. And when we do this, something remarkable happens. Time, which so often feels like it is slipping through our fingers, begins to slow.

doesn't really apply to me, or to many people I know and have worked with - it is when I focus on one task that "time flies", and it's distractions that end up throwing men out of the zone.

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smith7018 ◴[] No.41830183[source]
What you're describing is a state of flow which is good for things like work but the article seems to be talking about time metaphorically.

For example, imagine you're going to your daughter's piano recital and spend the whole time thinking about work. You would be missing out on the experience of watching her perform and grow. If you become mindful of these habits and say "My mind is focusing on something that I cannot change right now, I should be present" then you'll be able to fully experience a moment in your child's life. So rather than feeling like life is passing you by, you're able to experience it in the moment. The surrounding sentences of the line you quoted don't read like the author's describing time like you are:

"But in this process, we must remember something important: life is not meant to be rushed through. It is not a race, nor is it a problem to be solved. It is an experience to be lived, and living well requires presence. ... Moments become rich, textured. Even the simplest of tasks takes on a new significance when approached with care, with attention."

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1. kukkeliskuu ◴[] No.41834873[source]
In my experience it is not metaphorical, but an actual effect on how you experience time.