The next time you join a webinar, ask yourself a simple question – am I actually here? Not just logged in. Not just present on the attendee list. Actually here.
It’s a familiar scene. You join a Zoom webinar, camera off, microphone muted, and within minutes another tab opens. Emails get checked, invoices get processed, and work continues in the background. An hour later, the webinar ends. You’ve ‘attended’ – but if someone asked what you learned, there’s very little to say. Nothing has really landed.
There’s a quiet assumption in business that multitasking is productive. That we can do two things at once and get twice the value. But attention doesn’t work that way. When we divide it, we dilute it. And when we dilute it, very little sticks. Instead of gaining knowledge while getting work done, we often end up doing both poorly.
There’s another layer of this as well – one that’s easy to overlook. When someone is presenting, teaching, or sharing their experience, your attention is part of the exchange. They’ve prepared. They’ve thought about their message. They’re giving their time and knowledge. Being half-present doesn’t just limit your learning – it quietly signals that their work isn’t worth your full attention. This is very apparent at in-person conferences. You’ve paid the money. You.ve showed up. How about giving the sessions your full and undivided attention? The emails can wait – and the Facebook scrolling definitely can!
Being present doesn’t mean doing more. It usually means doing less. Closing the extra tabs, putting the phone out of reach, and deciding, for this hour, this is what I’m doing. It’s a simple shift, but not an easy one, especially in a world designed to pull your attention in ten directions at once.
Being focused also creates a sense of calm that’s easy to underestimate. When your attention isn’t being pulled in multiple directions, your thinking settles. You’re not rushing or reacting – you’re absorbing. That steadiness makes it easier to connect with what’s being said, to notice meaning rather than just information, and to form your own understanding. Rather than skimming the surface, you go deeper. And that’s where real learning happens.
When you are fully present, something changes. You catch the nuance. You hear the example that connects. You notice the one idea that actually applies to your business. Instead of leaving with vague impressions, you leave with something useful – something you can act on.
Instead of asking, “How do I fit this in alongside everything else?”, try asking, “Is this worth my full attention?” If the answer is no, it’s often better not to attend at all. If the answer is yes, treat it accordingly and give the respect it deserves.
After many years working with business owners and bookkeepers, I’ve noticed that the people who get the most value from learning aren’t the busiest ones – they’re the ones who choose to be fully there, even for a short time. Attention, when given properly, has a compounding effect. It turns information into understanding, understanding into action, and action into results.
Where in your business are you present… and where are you just appearing to be?
“Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.” – Simone Weil – French philosopher, mystic and political activist (deceased)
