Opinion: Our ability to concentrate is being eroded by constant connectivity and endless distraction. The ability to focus deeply could become one of the most valuable skills you can develop, argues Alexis Fernandez-Preiska
Focus is fast becoming the rarest resource we own. We are increasingly in a world where everything is designed to pull our attention. Notifications, multiple ways to be contacted, advertisements, and always being accessible and online.
And with research from Dr Gloria Mark showing that our attention spans are shrinking considerably, with a median attention time of 40 seconds (down from two and a half minutes some 20 years ago), our ability to concentrate on any one task has taken a hit.
Focusing is no longer just about being productive; it now gives you a competitive advantage. So what does a shorter attention span mean for you? How can you turn it around, and how can you increase focus and make this skill an asset?
Focus versus attention
Attention is our capacity to notice things, in the broader sense. Focus is a more narrowed version of attention that requires sustained deliberate concentration on a task for long enough that allows you to do something meaningful with it.
Attention helps you discover things, but is broad and can be ‘stolen’ easily; focus is within your control and where you can create.
It’s time to start thinking of focus as a limited resource. Your brain does not have an unlimited supply of cognitive resources to allocate to problem solving, idea generation and deep thinking.
Interruptions, novel entertainment, trying to multitask, that five-minute scroll are all depleting your resources that could be directed elsewhere, while also eroding this cognitive muscle. That self-control part of you that directs the mind to important tasks and holds it there.
You become so used to fragmented attention and switching between tasks that effortful, sustained focus begins to feel out of reach. By the time you turn to the work that actually matters, you are operating with whatever is left over.
Protecting your focus
The more you protect your focus, the stronger it becomes. The more freely you give it away, the harder it is to sustain it. Lifestyle factors such as poor sleep habits, too much time on devices, not enough time outdoors, a false sense of connection, and juggling too many things at once instead of mono-tasking are all a byproduct of just “getting by”.
Doing what needs to be done to make it through the day, in other words, but never quite feeling on top of it. And it has become the norm because most of those around you experience the same feeling. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
The good news is that a lot of what you want in your life is already within your reach, and not behind some expensive morning routine or biohacking tool.
Much of what you are looking for – more free time, better mental health and sleep – begins by being more specific with where your attention goes and where you place effortful focus.
Ever heard of “flow state” or “getting in the zone?” This is what sits at the opposite end of distraction. A place your mind gets you to where the passage of time is not felt, focus is easily sustained and thoughts, creative ideas and ability to problem solve are flowing out of you. Ideas connect more easily, and you become more intuitive and self-consciousness fades away.
This so-called zone is where your highest quality work is produced. But to access it, you need uninterrupted focus and dedicated time – some people report it taking 15 to 30 minutes to drop into this state.
The practices that will help you
Embracing practices such as time-blocking, phone-free zones, distraction-free walks, and no screens for the first and last hour of the day, will make a marked difference in your cognitive output, and in a very short amount of time. As will meditation, a time limit on mindless scrolling, free writing and engaging in problem-solving activities regularly.
And it is not just your work output that will see a shift. Being in control of where your attention goes doesn’t just help you get more done.
Alongside improving your cognitive output, it helps you feel more in control of your circumstances and positively affects your mood. It may also improve your relationships and protect you against cognitive burnout. But like anything, practise makes perfect.
After one day of embracing these new practices, your focus may not change drastically. But after one year, you will notice a marked difference.
The people who will thrive over the next decade will be the ones who have practised deep thinking in a world that so readily rewards distraction. They will be the ones who protect the resource that others give away so easily: their focused attention.
And by doing this, they are the ones who think more critically, make stronger decisions, generate more original ideas and rely less on others to do the work of their own mind.
Alexis Fernández-Preiksa is a performance coach, speaker, and author whose work sits at the intersection of neuroscience, mindset, and high performance. She hold a Master’s in Neuroscience and hosts the popular Do You F*king Mind podcast.
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