Focus like a Bee

My desk has to be tidy otherwise I can’t function.

Everything in its place; outstanding tasks neatly on one side; pens and bits on the other. My laptop in the right spot at the right height and the right distance away.

I can breathe. I can concentrate.

I remember visiting the home of a hoarder. Newspapers were his thing. Piles of them in the hallway leading from the front door to the kitchen. Some hadn’t been read in decades; most hadn’t been touched since they day they were bought.

I know some people are comfortable in that environment, but the whole place screamed chaos to me. I subconsciously reminded myself that I could never live like this.

There was too much going on. It was too busy.

But then I realised that some days my head can be like that—a hoarder of piles of information spread randomly throughout my conscious mind.

Welcome to Animal Instincts where we discover wisdom in the natural world and apply it to work, rest, leadership, and daily life.

Bees are highly selective in their work. Rather than moving randomly from flower to flower, a bee will often focus on a single type of flower during a foraging trip. This behaviour, known as “flower constancy,” allows the bee to work more efficiently and gather nectar more effectively.

In my current role as a church pastor, like many in management roles, I receive a ton of emails every day and have a large ‘to do’ list.

Occasionally I feel overwhelmed with the volume, and I flit from task to task, trying to finish this one quickly, putting off that one but forgetting to check its due date; leaving that one because it is taking too long, starting another; even attempting to do two things at once.

None of these ever seem to work.

And on tough days, with other factors floating in, the resulting lack of progress can stir a feeling of discouragement. I’m not achieving anything. I’m getting nowhere.

I’m a failure.

Again!

One flower at a time

Constant switching between tasks leaves me feeling scattered and unproductive. There is too much going on in my head! Attention is divided and even simple tasks take longer and feel more draining.

Focus, on the other hand, allows me to give my full attention to what matters and make meaningful progress.

The bee focusses on one flower at a time. It takes a short breather between flowers to return to the hive. Then it is out again to work on the next one.

So, I have tried working like this. Just one task at a time. Finish it, take a breather and then move on. And the next. And the next.

It requires a bit of discipline, but I am making progress. I am getting stuff done. I am lapping up the satisfaction of ticking items off the ‘to do’ list.

What words might you choose to describe your natural approach to completing a set of tasks? Ordered/disciplined? Unstructured? Chaotic?

Would focusing on one flower at a time like a bee work for you?

The bee doesn't accomplish more by doing everything. It accomplishes more by giving its full attention to one thing at a time.

..........

If you enjoy reading articles like this, Bees Are Awesome: Focus and Flourish is part of the Animal Instincts series of guided journals, each inspired by lessons from the natural world to help you work, rest and live with greater purpose. This journal helps you cut through distraction, focus on what matters most, and discover the satisfaction of meaningful and productive work.

Explore more here:

Click Me