There are proper times and places for things. Our world where one can have e-mail, facebook, a phone conversation, and texting all happening simultaneously would like us to think otherwise. Nevertheless, I think most people still know of moments in which everything else needs to be pushed aside for the sake of the task at hand.
making the mark
creativity and concentration
I can’t tell you how many times someone has said that to me when they’ve asked me to get involved in another project. I’m a husband and father of 3 teenagers, work a full-time job, lead a synagogue community, and am involved in a dozen or so other small projects on the side (including Riverton Mussar). This keeps me busy and out of trouble.
finding concentration
positive concentration
focus already
obstacles to concentration
questions to ask yourself
Use these questions to evaluate your day:
Are you able to focus on your Creator daily in such a way that prayer is effortless? If not, why?
Are you easily distracted? Or do you ignore others when you are doing something that seems important to you? Where is your balance of concentration?
Do you focus your mind energy to complete a task, or are you easily distracted and take long periods of time to complete something?
Do you strive to finish things and finish them well for the sake of Heaven?
Are you able to create long-term goals and stick to them, or do you give up easily when there are obstacles?
Do you make time for meditation? If not, is it because you have difficulty concentrating?
Are you able to concentrate on what is around you and see more deeply into matters? Are you involved in superficial tasks and reading so that you never reach deeper levels of understanding?