Attention is the new gold: 10 tips for focussing

We feel busier than ever, but at the same time we are  getting less and less done. This is basically because  we’ve lost the ability to focus on what we are doing.  Journalist Jocelyn de Kwant looks at why that is and what we can do about it.

“Focusing on something with your full attention, whatever it is, is very rewarding,” says neuropsychologist Mark Tigchelaar. According to him, the number of stimuli we are faced with every day has increased fivefold since the 1980s and is now equal to 174 newspapers a day. We are busier than ever, but at the same time much less productive. That’s because the moments when we’re truly focused are increasingly rare. “It is no coincidence that, in recent years, our concentration levels have dropped and our stress levels are rising,” he says.

On guard

We can look to our  own brain to see why we are so easily distracted. The brain loves stimuli and is always on guard for danger; we think we’re doing one single thing, but in the meantime part of our brain is continually processing all the signals around us. This explains why we always notice when our name is mentioned, even at a busy party.

Less is more

Because we find it so difficult to focus, Tigchelaar says the temptation to do short, quick things is always there. “That is also a fun aspect that many jobs have: checking a lot of boxes on a list, getting many different things done in one day,” he says. “You may be very busy, but you’re not very productive. You’re doing a lot of small things, or as author Cal Newport calls it: ‘shallow work’. Work that requires very little brainpower, but that’s not very satisfying.”

Write it down

Constantly switching between tasks literally makes us dumber. In your head,  it works like this: Every time you switch, part of your attention lingers on the previous task. You don’t want to forget what you were doing, after all. Even a brief look at your email or answering a simple question from a colleague already makes your mind split in two in a way. In neuropsychology, this is called ‘attention residue’: part of our attention is left behind. “If you switch, you’re done,” says Tigchelaar. “Because hopping back and forth takes energy and has a direct effect on your stress levels.” And increased stress levels make it even more difficult to pay attention to what you’re doing.

Happier when present

Wineke van Aken is a mindfulness coach, and she sees people struggling with focussing in her practice everyday. “Everything needs time, attention and connection. If you have become a mind on legs and are constantly responding to every stimulus you encounter, you will end up numb to yourself. You’ll no longer be able to really feel what gives you a sense of satisfaction. If you want to improve your quality of life and take good care of yourself, attention is your friend. Those moments where you were fully present, with all your senses, without getting distracted by your worries, are often your happiest moments.”

11 tips for more attention

The Pomodoro technique. In order to focus you also need moments of non-focus. And these are provided by the Pomodoro technique, invented by Francesco Cirillo. With this method, you focus on one single task for 25 minutes, and then take a 5-minute break.
Real vs. fake breaks. Something is only a break if you are not processing new information. Your brain doesn’t make a distinction between work email and Instagram: Both involve absorbing new information. So checking your Instagram as a break from reading your work emails is not a real break. You can only recharge your mind when you let it wander and don’t need  to focus.
A simple second task. You can preoccupy your overactive brain with a simple little second task. For example, put on some repetitive music, something you don’t really listen to.
Write it down. Things you’re trying not to forget pop up in your head all the time—and at totally illogical moments. Our brains see no difference between internal and external distractors. Write down the things you really shouldn’t forget as soon as possible so your brain can let go of them.
Limit open ends. Don’t start a task if you can’t finish it. So don’t open your WhatsApp or email just before you start a conversation with someone or before you go to sleep. You’re putting your mind to work, diminishing your attention.
Turn off notifications  (for the most part). There is no logical reason to constantly check your email during your work. A surgeon does not always walk to the door during an operation to see if there are new patients either. It helps your peace of mind if you set it up so that anything really urgent will get through to you.
Work alone at times. When we sit on our own, we can work  on tasks without interruption. This allows us to dive deeper, develop new insights and complete projects.
Start the day without  your phone. Checking our phone literally changes the chemical make-up of our brain. Every time we get a ‘shot’, the need for even more dopamine in our brain is increased: it’s called a dopamine spiral. If you start your day on your phone, you will have more trouble concentrating all day long.
Don’t share it. Real attention makes memories more intense and colorful. Research from Princeton University in the US shows that you enjoy and remember less of a situation if you are sharing it on social media at the same time.
Out of sight, out of mind. We often keep our phone within reach, which makes it tempting to keep checking it. Putting your phone further away—for example tucking it in a drawer or your bag—helps you not check it so often. You can still reach it, but you won’t grab it mindlessly as much.