If you find that you’re constantly daydreaming or shifting focus from here to there, you’re not alone. Studies have found that human brains are in the moment for just over half of our waking hour, just 53%. The other 47% of the time we’re zoned out, thinking of something else. Unfortunately, mind wandering can happen at the wrong moment.
If you’d like to take small, easy steps to increase your attention span and strengthen your focus, here’s where to start:
1. Integrate meditation into your daily routine
Meditation is one of the best ways to improve your focus, as it is the mental training of your
overall clarity and focus. Much like the effect that weightlifting has on your muscles, meditation trains your brain stay at attention for longer periods of time.
In a study done at the University of California at Santa Barbara, undergraduate students who took a mindfulness class and meditated for 10 to 20 minutes four times a week for two weeks scored higher on memory tests and exercises requiring attention than students who changed their nutrition and focused on healthy eating as a way to boost brain power.
2. Exercising regularly
Exercise doesn’t just improve your change the way your body looks, it transforms the way you think as well. Regular rigorous physical activity increases your focus.
A University of Illinois study found that cardio significantly increases cognitive control. Individuals diagnosed with ADHD who participated in
20 minutes of moderate exercise were able to pay attention longer and scored better on tests, particularly in reading comprehension.
3. Drink more water
Being dehydrated isn’t just bad for your body; it’s bad for your cognitive ability as well. Researchers at the University of Barcelona, found that even mild dehydration-–as little as 2%–can significantly negatively impact your ability to concentrate.In fact, a 2% drop in dehydration isn’t enough to trigger thirst. So before you go into a situation where you need to focus, make sure you bring along plenty of water.
4. Ask more questions
Meetings are one place where it can be hard to pay attention. In fact, nearly half of
employees consider too many meetings the biggest waste of time in their workday, according to the National Statistics Council.
Stay alert by planning to ask at least one good question. Asking questions not only keeps you focused on the topic at hand but it also allows for meaningful contribution to the conversation and learn something new.
5. Write things down more
If you’re trying to pay attention in a meeting or at a conference, leave your laptop at home and take notes via pen and paper. According to studies at UCLA, students that took notes by hand listened more actively and were able to identify important topics.
Electronics also provide an easy distraction, such as checking email or
scrolling through social media. Taking notes on a laptop can also leads to mindless transcription, so leave it at home when you can.
We hope these help!
Jasmine Browley holds an MA in journalism from Columbia College Chicago, and has contributed to Ebony, Jet and MADE Magazine among others. So, clearly, she knows some stuff. Follow her digital journey @JasmineBrowley.
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