Milwaukee: Do you think you can’t concentrate? Like you will never finish a book again? Like the only way to keep your mind and hands busy is to scroll on social media for a few hours?
You are far from alone. A decades-long study found that the average attention span of a single screen was 47 seconds, down from 2.5 minutes in 2004. 24/7 News Cycle, uncertainty about the state of the world and countless screen time screen time didn’t help.
“When my patients talk to me about these things, there is usually a feeling of helplessness or powerlessness,” said Dr. Michael Ziffra, a psychiatrist at Northwestern Medicine. “But you can change these behaviors. You can improve your attention range.”
This is how to start the process. As you read, challenge yourself to set a 2.5-minute timer and leave this article in this article without looking at other devices or clicking.
How do we lose focus?
Continuously diverting attention is an evolutionary trait, not a mistake. It’s hard for our brains to quickly filter information and hone the potential threat or change of what’s happening around us.
What attracted our attention changed. For our ancestors, it could be the rustling of the bushes that kept us guarding the lurking tiger. Today, it may be a lot of news alerts and phone calls.
Stacey Nye, a clinical psychologist at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, said the 19009 pandemic distorted the sense of time for many people.
Experts say technology is not the only factor that affects our attention, but the effects of scrolling notifications or scrolling time in 30-second videos accumulate over time.
“Our attention span is indeed trained to focus only on those tiny blades, which interrupts our natural focus cycle,” she said.
The “positive” rest” experts say that “positive” rest is one of the best ways to train your thoughts and attention. Nai said they only take about 30 minutes, just as easy as when you notice something around you or move to another room for lunch.
Don’t be afraid to be creative. Create a list of alternative activities, or randomly select ideas from the fish tank. Try craft projects, brief meditation, fix fast food or take a walk outside. If you can also be involved in friends, everything will be better.
Rest needs to be a physical or psychological activity – no passive phone scrolling.
When the brain lowers and looks for changes, it usually catches the first thing it sees. Cindy Lustig, a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Michigan, said smartphones are a “continuously produced change machine” and an attractive option.
Turn off unnecessary notifications and use “Don’t Disturb” mode well, especially before bedtime. Better yet, put your phone in a completely different room, Lustig said.
Rejecting multitasking may make you feel like you’re done, but brain experts recommend you to object.
“Become a policeman,” Nai said. “Once, handle one thing for a designated period of time and start working hard.”
Lustig is a big fan of “Pomodoro Technique”, in which you set the timer to 25 or 30 minutes and then take another 5 minutes off.
She told herself, “I can do anything during this time” and in the end, the world is still waiting for her.
Starting with something you really like and setting goals isn’t enough to have a hobby, Lustig says. It helps to choose hobbies that include intentional practice and hobbies that strive to achieve goals, whether it is playing guitar for the audience or improving guitar during exercise.
It also helps to choose what you like.
“You don’t want to start with heavy nonfiction or ‘war and peace’,” Lustig said. “If you need to start with a romantic novel, then start with a romantic novel. You can work hard.”
Being kind to yourself is also important. Everyone has good days and bad days, and attention needs vary – even depending on the task.
Experts say the key is to make intentional efforts.
“In many ways, it’s similar to muscles, and in a sense we can build it through practice and practice,” Ziffra said. “In contrast, if we don’t exercise it, it can weaken.”
