When we focus on more than one thing at a time, we encounter the limits of our attention.

We can hear a bird sing or think about a problem we’re trying to solve.

We can see an approaching traffic light or picture an upcoming difficult conversation.

I’m not saying that tuning into your immediate surroundings is inherently better than focusing on the content of your imagination.

I’m pointing out that our available attention is a limited resource and that there’s value in expanding the depth and richness of whatever we decide to pay attention to.