Pay attention and do what you're doing

Let me start by admitting that there is nothing inherently interesting about a math class. Some people will find it interesting, some people won't, no matter how fascinating the teacher finds it. So why pay attention? You can always ask your friends later or meet with the teacher or figure it out yourself as you study for tests.

There's a simple reason. You should pay attention in math class because that's what you're doing right then. Just like you should pay attention to whatever you're doing. One of my biggest worries for kids growing up these days is that they're in a near-constant state of distraction. It's now almost impossible for kids to do just one thing at a time, and I think that's bad for them. I think I speak knowledgeably about this, because when I was just out of college I would come home from work and do the following:

• Put music on the stereo
• Turn on the TV with the sound off
• Read the newspaper
• Eat dinner

All at the same time.

Do you think I was getting maximum enjoyment out of any of those things? Of course not. No matter how skilled a multitasker you are, the brain cannot devote full attention to more than one thing at a time. Now just because it sounds funny doesn't necessarily make it bad, but I truly believe that my life became much richer when I learned to do only one thing at a time.

The current term for this is "being in the moment." You hear it mostly from self-help types and oddly enough, professional athletes, who know that to perform at peak level they have to be concentrating on what they're doing and nothing else. "Being in the moment" sounds kind of new ageish, so I prefer "Do the thing you're doing." Aside from allowing you to be better at whatever you're engaged in, you'll find that it actually feels good. It's calming.

So I don't think that the kind of paying attention you need to do in math class is any more important than any other kind. In fact, I'd say it's much more important to truly pay attention and listen to your friends and loved ones.

I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has tried this or is interested in trying it now.