ETEC 511_IP 8: Attentional Record and Analysis

The table and chart below show my attentional record and analysis over a 12-hour period on a typical weekday during summer break.

Key Insights

1. While I spent most of the hours working, I realized that there were constant distractions coming from everywhere – kids, mobile devices, and household chores. Since I work from home while my child is also at home during summer break, I face frequent interruptions: my child asking questions, needing help, or suddenly bursting into my home office. These incidents significantly affect my focus and disrupt my work transitions, completely breaking my workflow and leading to frustration and negative emotions. (It may sound like I’m a bad mother, but this is simply the reality and challenge that many working mothers face when their kids are at home.) Perhaps I need to set clearer boundaries between parenting and work and build a strategy to separate work hours from parenting hours so my time is respected.
2. YouTube Shorts are the biggest enemy stealing my attention and time every day. I’m not particularly interested in the news, nor do I subscribe to anything personally. However, the endless feeds easily lead me into nonstop scrolling with no time limit. Even though this (bad) habit is not captured in the table above (since it usually happens at night after my kids are in bed), I see it as a critical issue to address in order to protect my attention and mental energy, and to avoid wasting my precious time and focus.
3. I also tend to constantly check my personal emails and messages on my phone. Through critical reflection, I now realize that most of these messages are either commercial promotions unworthy of my attention, or group chat messages that don’t really require an immediate response. This behavior mostly stems from my fear of missing out, rather than the actual importance or value of the messages themselves. These notifications often create a false sense of urgency, making me feel like I must react immediately.
4. I have three regular meetings every week, each lasting about an hour by default. According to my record, I tend to multitask a lot during these meetings instead of giving my full attention. Perhaps I could try reducing meeting time to 45 minutes to make them more intentional and effective, while also preventing multitasking. This might also help reduce boredom or frustration, especially when agendas are unclear or when casual small talk drags on endlessly.
5. I was quite surprised to see that I don’t allocate any time each day for my physical or mental health. I could spend at least 15 minutes on exercise—such as a short walk, indoor yoga, or cycling—during transition times as an investment in my health and focus.
6. I also found it challenging, or even impossible, to record every single task or incident during family time. While family time with my spouse and two children is important, I often treat it as one big, unstructured block of time before bed. I want to think more carefully about how to use this time intentionally and meaningfully for everyone in the family. Since I have limited time for many different responsibilities, I need to find ways to integrate different roles and create synergy. For example, we could go for a walk after dinner or spend time playing together in the field—something that not only strengthens family bonds but also contributes to my physical health.