5 reasons why strengthening our attention span is important.
5 ways to be more intentional about it.
In a click-bait world, filled with noise and attention traps, many of us spend more time looking outward than inward. Many facets of technology and fast-paced living have become so commonplace, we do not stop to think about the effects that having so much knowledge, content, entertainment, and diversion at our fingertips has. Teachers of school age children would be well-equipped to describe the negative outcomes having too much screen time and not enough stillness are causing the emerging generation. Yet, the same is true for adults. This article will encourage a thought-experiment of why cultivating a robust attention span is important. It will also give ideas on how to begin developing and strengthening your attention span right away.
Life Lesson Not Just For The Kids
When we think of not being able to concentrate it’s easy to picture a young child squirming in their chair. Or not listening to a parent or teacher when an important lesson is being taught. As adults, if we cannot stop tapping our foot in a meeting, we blame the presentation as boring or not relevant. If our mind drifts when someone we love is talking, we blame being tired, or having too much on our mind. Meanwhile, Screen Time reports on our cell phones may paint a different picture. As our culture has morphed into a more technological and individualized state, and the prevalence of computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones have increased, many adults’ attention spans have wildly decreased. A “study led by Microsoft Canada…found that since the year 2000, the average attention span of a person dropped from 12 seconds to 8 seconds”.
Challenges Associated With Lack of Attention Span
Struggling with a short attention span negatively affects productivity, learning, relationships, safety, and mental health well-being. Not being able to sustain focus makes it hard to complete tasks efficiently and stay on track with deadlines or life goals. In settings where we need to learn, hobbies, work, or school, having a dysregulated attention span will impair learning and make us feel like giving up. Regarding personal relationships, to love someone is to see them. This is hard to do if we are not paying proper attention. Additionally, a key component to maintaining daily safety is intentional awareness. Finally, having difficulty concentrating contributes to feelings of stress and anxiety.
5 Reasons Why Strengthening Attention Span Is Important
When we have a healthy and robust attention span the world feels like a safer, more peaceful place. The following are five reasons why strengthening our power of focus and presentness will dramatically improve our lives:
1. Increased Productivity and Goal Achievement
Whether you are a person with a long list of goals or a passion you have always dreamed of pursuing, or an individual that is so overwhelmed it’s difficult to know who you or what you want. Increasing your attention span allows you the space, freedom, and drive to think about what you really desire and how to plot accordingly.
2. Enhanced Problem-Solving Skills
When you are intentionally focused, your ability to make decisions, achieve clarity, and dream are greatly enhanced. Indeed, having a great attention span cultivates minds to be more flexible, curious, and open. In turn, the ability to be efficient in solving problems and complete goals lead to increased feelings of competence and satisfaction.
3. Reduced Stress and Anxiety
Part of having a great attention span includes the ability to stop forecasting or ruminating too much. Forecasting is when we worry about events in the future that have not happened yet. While ruminating is dwelling on things that have already occurred, that we cannot change. When we are rooted in the present moment, we are better equipped to manage our emotions and cope with challenging situations.
4. Improved Mood Regulation
Being radically present when doing anything will make living life more spectacular each day. When we make efforts to nurture our
attention span, it will organically lead to attuning to our bodies. When we are in this healthy state of recognizing, and pair that practice
with radical acceptance, it will enhance our self-compassion and the empathy and compassion we extend to others. In turn, this calms our nervous system and makes it possible to stay in a softer, more regulated state.
5. Better Relationships
Ask any person participating in any type of relationship how much attention span affects the quality of the interactions between two people. Whether you are an employee trying to make your boss understand the workload is too heavy. Or you are a parent with a child that has grown distant or surly. Maybe you have a friend that is not making efforts to foster your bond. And, most especially, in romantic partnerships, we all want significant people in our lives to have an appropriate attention span. On a personal level, when we engage in active thoughtfulness it refines our ability to navigate past traumas and effectively deal with our triggers. These things deeply enrich our interpersonal connections.
5 Ways To Be Intentional With Our Attention Span
We all have a lot to do. Present day life can feel very demanding. But being intentional about nurturing our attention span does not have to feel like a chore. The following are five ways we can be more intentional about focusing our thoughts and energies in our lives:
1. Practice Meditation
Even if you’ve never done it before. Even if you only have five minutes a day. Practicing meditation will improve your attention span, and sense of calm, greater than any other practice on the planet. Although some studies show meditating is most effective in the morning, depending on your life circumstances, finding a few minutes any time of the day will have benefits. Working up to 20 minutes a day can fundamentally change your outlook as a person. Practiced consistently, it is an intricate part of somatic healing. It heightens awareness of the present moment, teaches discipline, and builds fortitude in resisting distractions. Meditation not only strengthens our attention spans, it has a host of well-documented physical, psychological, and spiritual benefits.
2. Limit Your Distractions
Although it will be difficult for some individuals, especially parents with young children, limiting distractions is an essential way to augment attention span. However, with some creativity and dedication everyone can find ways to increase reflection and stillness. For instance, making a promise to yourself that in addition to meditating you will limit screen time until after you have been present with the children, read a book, engage in a hobby or project for an hour, exercise, or commit to keep the television off when having family dinner. No one technique will fit all. Finding ways to integrate alertness and mindfulness are uniquely individual. But being proactive about limiting outside attention goblins will optimize your day to day well-being.
3. Get Your Heart Pumping
Yes. Another article extolling the accolades of physical movement and exercise. Regular physical activity results in numerous cognitive benefits, including improved attention and concentration. It increases blood flow to the brain, and releases dopamine and serotonin which are known as the “happy hormones”. Boosting our physical and cognitive functioning are just obvious ways of deepening our attention span. “The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, which is about 21 minutes a day”.
4. Break Up Tasks
When we set specific goals, sometimes the enormity of accomplishing them make us shut down and we end up on the couch scrolling. To be judicious with your attention span, take larger tasks and break them down into segments. Complete the smaller portions as you can, making sure to take short breaks in between. Doing this can prevent burnout and help maintain a higher level of attention and productivity. This mindful approach also allows for better time management and helps prevent attentional fatigue.
5. Practice Cognitive Training Exercises
As this article first indicated, learning to increase attention span is crucial for any age. Keeping our mental faculties sharp by doing crossword puzzles, Sudoku, or any hobby that requires focus, memory, or problem solving will be beneficial. When we stimulate different neural pathways or introduce challenge and novelty into our lives, these are active, playful ways of forcing ourselves to be present in the moment. By incorporating cognitive training into our routine, we can enhance cognitive abilities, which will lead to improved performance in various areas of our life.
Improving attention span is not merely about honing cognitive skills. It’s about enhancing overall well-being, refining our performance in various aspects of life, and returning our bodies to a more calm and peaceful place. Being intentional about strengthening our attention span will empower us to navigate life’s challenges with increased clarity, resilience, and purpose.