Attention is a topic that matters to everyone because it may affect the way we live our everyday life (Barton, 2020). Unfortunately, facing challenges with concentration is something we have all felt at some point.
In this article, we’ll discuss some strategies to manage this matter in question. Stay with us!
Monotasking may support steady focus
We cannot devote the same level of attention to several tasks at once, which possibly increases the likelihood of not doing things correctly. Therefore, being monotasking rather than multitasking becomes a great option. Focusing on a single task can reduce the load on memory and decrease vulnerability to distractions. Some activities that can help achieve monotasking include establishing daily priorities, allocating dedicated time, working in intervals, eliminating potential distractions, and perhaps something we are not normally aware of being in the moment! (Solan, 2022).
Some lifestyle changes that could contribute to elevate your attention
Making little lifestyle changes could have a significant impact on our attention span. Optimizing sleep hygiene, implementing regular exercise, and making nutritional choices could help get good attention and concentration (Grace, 2022). These changes don’t have to mean a complete lifestyle overhaul, but small modifications in our day-to-day life that could then help well-being. For example, reducing screen time before bed could contribute to good sleep quality (Hale et al., 2018), while incorporating short, frequent breaks during work could help to maintain high levels of attention (Harvard Health Publishing, 2020).
Practicing meditation and relaxation techniques
In addition to these small lifestyle changes, you could try including meditation and some relaxation techniques in your routine. A study has shown that following mindfulness meditation training, individuals exhibited larger aptitudes on an attention task indicating good attentional control (Norris et al., 2018). Breathing exercises are relaxation techniques that could contribute to some specific aspects of attention (Ma, et al., 2017). Combining these practices with lifestyle changes could help maintain a steady focus!
One step at a time!
Trying to apply everything we talked about in this article wouldn’t be ideal. Remember this is not a manual that you have to follow step by step but rather a set of recommendations that you may want to follow. Remember, to start small, change one behavior at a time, take it easy and slow and involve someone who appreciates you (APA, 2024).
Be thankful for what you are able to do today. Tomorrow is a new day!
Sources:
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Healthy lifestyle changes. APA. Retrieved July 17, 2024, from https://www.apa.org/topics/behavioral-health/healthy-lifestyle-changes
Barton, A. C., Sheen, J., & Byrne, L. K. (2020). Immediate Attention Enhancement and Restoration From Interactive and Immersive Technologies: A Scoping Review. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 2050. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02050
Grace, E. (2022, April 1). Building Healthy Habits When You’re Truly Exhausted. https://hbr.org/2022/04/building-healthy-habits-when-youre-truly-exhausted
Hale, L., Kirschen, G. W., LeBourgeois, M. K., Gradisar, M., Garrison, M. M., Montgomery-Downs, H., Kirschen, H., McHale, S. M., Chang, A. M., & Buxton, O. M. (2018). Youth Screen Media Habits and Sleep: Sleep-Friendly Screen Behavior Recommendations for Clinicians, Educators, and Parents. Child and adolescent psychiatric clinics of North America, 27(2), 229–245. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5839336/
Harvard Health Publishing. (2020, February 1). Focus on concentration. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/focus-on-concentration
Ma, X., Yue, Z. Q., Gong, Z. Q., Zhang, H., Duan, N. Y., Shi, Y. T., Wei, G. X., & Li, Y. F. (2017). The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in Healthy Adults. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 874. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00874
Norris, C. J., Creem, D., Hendler, R., & Kober, H. (2018). Brief Mindfulness Meditation Improves Attention in Novices: Evidence From ERPs and Moderation by Neuroticism. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 12(315). https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00315
Solan, M. (2022, August 1). The art of monotasking. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/the-art-of-monotasking
