If you’re struggling to stay focused on the here and now, you’re not alone. According to a study published in November 2010 in the peer-reviewed Science journal, nearly half of the hours we’re awake (47 percent) are spent thinking about something other than what we are doing.
The 2010 study found that “doing so typically makes them unhappy.”
Not only can a short attention span make us unhappy, it can also have a negative impact on our physical health and wellbeing
According to an August 2013 study published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Psychology, a higher occurrence of episodes of “mind wandering” was associated with “short-term adverse consequences,” such as an increased 24-hour heart rate on the same day and difficulty falling asleep the subsequent night.
How can you increase your attention span? Experts weigh in below.
Attention Span Definition
Maura Thomas, an expert on attention management for productivity who is the author of Attention Management: How to Create Success and Gain Productivity—Every Day , told Newsweek, attention span is “the amount of time we can stay focused on something.”
Thomas said, “there are many nuances” to attention span, so it’s difficult to make any definitive statements.
For example, our mind can wander briefly but we can bring it back. Does this mean the “clock” on our attention span stops when the mind wanders and once we bring it back, “is that a new ‘span’?,” she explained.
It should also be noted that attention span can differ depending on the subject, so our attention span would be “very different” on a topic that interests us than one that doesn’t.
Similarly, information that interests us but is presented in a way that is “beyond our capabilities” makes it harder for us to maintain attention, according to Thomas.
Dr. Susan Albers, a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic, agreed that your ability to pay attention “highly depends” on the situation and what you are focusing on.
She told Newsweek: “Attention spans are shockingly short and shrinking in certain contexts.”
What Causes a Short Attention Span?
Short attention span can be caused by different physical and psychological conditions, such as the following:
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)Autism spectrum disorderDepressionHead injuries (such as skull fractures, concussions)Learning disabilities (such as dyslexia)
Distraction by Technology
From a societal and environmental perspective, the main cause of short attention span boils down to the distraction created by technology, according to Thomas.
“Our ability to maintain our attention is constantly challenged. And from my research and experience with clients, I believe the cause of our shortening attention spans is the habit of distraction our technology has created in us,” the author said.
With technology being omnipresent, we receive a distraction every few minutes, if not more. “We become accustomed—habituated—to receiving a distraction every few minutes,” she explained, adding that this habit gets reinforced every few minutes, “so it becomes a really strong habit.”
Albers added: “Social media is the biggest sabotager of attention span.”
Impatience
Thomas said “the habit of distraction chips away at our attention span,” which also then cuts down our patience levels and this becomes “a strong downward spiral.”
“Our short attention spans plus our increasing impatience makes us believe that anything that requires time or thought is unpleasant,” she explained.
For example, you’ll notice most people gravitate toward fast and easy tasks and leave those that feel “big” or difficult to “later.” We expect that such difficult tasks will be unpleasant because they require more time and a lot of effort, but we think this because we’re so impatient and focusing is hard to do.
Distraction makes us believe these things but it “is actually lying to us,” she said. “Because when we do tackle those big, difficult tasks and activities, they give us a sense of accomplishment that makes us feel happy and productive,” according to Thomas.
How to Improve Your Attention Span
Thomas said: “Improving our attention span is challenging. Society now supports this downward spiral. Expectations of constant availability and the pressure to participate in social media and a variety of other communication channels keep us tethered to our devices.
See Distraction as a Bad Thing
The first step is to “recognize distraction as a bad habit,” Thomas said, as explained in her aforementioned book. One way to kick this habit of distraction is by “regaining control over our technology,” she said.
“Our technology can only distract us if we allow it to,” she said. So it’s important to shut off most push notifications and leave our devices in silent mode, as “constant distractions feed the habit of distraction.”
Stop Scrolling Through Social Media
Ablers said: “Take a moment to pause as you pursue social media instead of jumping from site to site. If you can’t disconnect from social media, consciously and mindfully tell yourself to slow down the pace of your scrolling.”
Thomas also advised being intentional about how and what we engage with on social media, being thoughtful about what benefits each provides us.
She explained: “Often we don’t know what we don’t know—so we believe that what we’re used to is what’s best for us,” noting that often people say, “I have to be on Facebook,” until one day they quit Facebook and find they face few, if any, negative consequences.
“We don’t have to operate at the mercy of our devices. We can be empowered to live a life of choice and intention, rather than a life of reaction and distraction,” the author advised.
Take Notice of Your Attention
Albers said: “Listen to your inner dialogue about your attention” to check in and notice what holds your attention and what doesn’t. “There is likely a pattern to things that are difficult to hold your attention.”
Stop Multi-Tasking
Albers noted the multi-tasking culture we live in also puts heavy emphasis on doing more than one thing at a time. “This dives your attention and urges you to allocate your focus.”
She suggests “monotasking” instead, focusing on one task at a time.
Practice Active Listening
Alber said: “Actively listen. Just listen. Don’t interrupt when someone else is talking. If you tune out during a lecture, find ways to stay engaged such as taking notes.”
The George Washington University School of Business suggests trying the following to practice attentive listening:
Try to listen without interrupting, focusing on what the other person is saying and not just on how you will reply. Devote time to purely just listening to something, perhaps a half hour of listening to a piece of music or a podcast, without other devices, such as a television, tablet or phone, nearby.
Meditate
Ablers said mediation “taps right into the skill needed to increase attention span.” Those who have a short attention span may notice they also struggle to meditate. “This requires you to quiet your mind and focus on what is happening in the moment.”
According to researchers at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, meditation can change the structure and function of the brain through relaxation, which can improve memory and attention span, in addition to offering other health benefits.
According to an August 2018 study published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, “brief meditation [as short as 10 minutes] impacts attention even in novice practitioners.”
Below are some of the different types of meditation that can be practiced, as outlined by the Columbia University Medical Center:
Mindfulness: Focuses on your breath and observing thoughts as they pass by, with the purpose of simply becoming aware of how you’re feeling without getting absorbed by the feelings. Albers suggested doing “mindful walking,” which entails being “attentive to all of your sensations” as you walk. “Feel your feet hitting the pavement. Listen to the sounds around you,” she said. Concentrative: This type of meditation focuses on a certain point, be it a word, breath or object. The purpose is to release your thoughts while maintaining or recentering your focus on that point, to keep your mind from wandering. Moving: This involves engaging in slow, repetitive moments (such as by doing yoga or tai chi) that focus on your breath to help relax the mind and body.
Prioritize Sleep
Albers warned lack of sleep can “cloud and complicate” your ability to maintain your focus.
Do Physical Activity
Another way to improve your attention span is engaging in moderate levels of exercise. “Physical activity has been proven to improve cognitive control,” explains The George Washington University, which recommends activities such as the following:
Go for a brisk walk around your neighborhood. Try incorporating mindfulness into this by walking without being distracted by your phone, focusing instead on what you see, hear or smell around you on the walk, the university advises. JogRide a bike
