16 ways to improve your attention span 16 ways to improve your attention span
Centr Team
12 Aug 2020
We live in an age of short attention spans – and they’re only getting shorter. We consume content in bite-sized chunks: 20-second soundbites, 60-second TikTok videos, and 15 seconds of viral fame. We’re reading fewer books, bingeing entire TV series in a day, growling at our phones when our rideshare doesn’t move, and generally rushing through life.
It’s time to rekindle our ability to focus on the task at hand. These 16 activities (if it was a shortlist, it wouldn’t be a challenge to focus and get through it now, would it?) are proven – some even by science – to improve your ability to focus.
Your attention span is a muscle, so let’s put it to work and get those gains!
1. Set yourself a social media time limit. You probably didn’t even know that you can set a “Daily Reminder” on Instagram and Facebook apps – it will pop up when you hit your set limit, reminding you to back away from the phone. Because, let’s be honest, we’ve all wasted hours mindlessly scrolling through our feeds when we could have been exercising, or cooking or reading a great book.
2. If you lost your phone, would you be able to remember anyone’s number in an emergency? Challenge yourself to memorize things – phone numbers, your credit card number, addresses and directions (don’t rely on Google Maps all the time).
1/4
To hold Luke's attention, just tell him it's dinner time...
3. Eat healthy whole foods, like those in your Centr meal plan. Fish, colorful fruit and veg, fermented foods and whole grains all have brain benefits, while lowering your intake of sugar and will give you a more balanced and lasting energy output.
4. Have you tried playing Memory (aka Concentration) with a 7-year-old lately? Chances are, they’d kick your butt. Put your mind into training with memory games to get it fit and focused.
5. Throw some Mozart onto your playlist. Research has shown that listening to classical music helps us sort out the world around us by engaging “the areas of the brain involved with paying attention and updating the event in memory”. Exactly what we’re after!
2/4
Put away the playlists and go old school with your music listening – cassettes and CDs also accepted!
6. While you’re at it, listen to an entire album – no more random play or skipping from one track to the next. Let yourself take the full journey.
7. When the noise and distraction get too much, take a quick time out for meditation. Meditating helps to quiet your mind and concentrate on the task at hand. Michael Olajide Jr can get you started with a Centr meditation to sharpen your focus.
8. Be an active listener. Whether it’s in person or on a video chat, put away or shut down other distractions and give your full attention to what is being said. You just might learn something.
9. Really want a piece of information to sink in? Write it down with a pen and paper. Studies have shown that we process and retain information better when taking notes by hand, rather than typing on a laptop or phone.
3/4
Slow down and give all your attention to a great book.
10. As we take in words in social media sized chunks, we're reading fewer books. So set yourself a target for reading books – even if it’s just one a month. If you need motivation, start a book club with your partner, mother or neighbor, set a date to chat about it, then get reading!
11. Really need to get work done but your phone keeps beeping? Turn off notifications. Most devices have settings where you can still allow important calls to come through – but all those social media alerts and your friend’s update on how their Cheesy Zucchini Muffins turned out can wait until the task is done!
12. STOP MULTITASKING! We get it, sometimes it just can’t be helped. And you may think you’re great at juggling two things at once – but attempting to multitask has a disastrous effect on your productivity and focus. Make an effort to complete one task before moving onto the next, and you’ll see your efficiency and quality improve.
4/4
Staying focused is hard work! Do like Dan, and drink up.
13. Your water bottle isn’t just an essential workout accessory. When you stay hydrated, you stay focused. Even mild dehydration can impair your cognitive performance – especially on tasks where full attention is required. So drink up!
14. Ever heard about a time hack called the Pomodoro Technique? The basic idea is you make a list of long and short-term goals, then devote 15-minute bursts of uninterrupted time to a single task or activity on that list until your time is up. It could be a work or home organization task, or reading for pleasure – it’s up to you. And you can adjust the time frame to a length that works for you.
15. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: get some sleep! Lack of sleep slows your reaction time and makes it harder to pay attention. Plus all that information you need to remember for that big exam or presentation coming up? Your brain will make those connections and lock it all in for you while you’re zzz-ing.
16. When in doubt, hit play on a Centr workout! Stepping away from a task can help to clear your mind, allowing you to come back fresh. Studies have also shown that getting up and moving improves the cognitive function of our brains – even a 20-minute walk can light up your brain activity. So move it or lose it, people!
