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Secret to Concentration - How to increase your attention span

Source: The secret to concentration - How to increase your attention span | DW Documentary - YouTube

Lessons from competitive sports and gaming, air traffic control, mental coaching

Why increase your focus, concentration, and attention span? to achieve goals

How to get better concentration?

  • Practice focus
  • Comfortable environment
  • Reduce distractions, stimuli

About Concentration and Human Physiology of Focus

Section titled “About Concentration and Human Physiology of Focus”

Brain’s pre-frontal cortex helps to focus attention with brain’s neurons:

  • Neurons communicate better and strengthen connection and information processing
  • Release dopamine to increase motivation and concentration

Genes and environment factors contribute to ability to concentrate

Nurturing Concentration

Section titled “Nurturing Concentration”

Routines help with conserving energy by building habits and body can be in auto pilot. The routine can also help with entering a focus mode.

Coaches, psychology specialists, and supporting people help the person improve and address weaknesses.

Multitasking is like doing multiple tasks while switching between. The brain switches back and forth and brain requires time to orient on the new tasks.

Rest and Energy

Section titled “Rest and Energy”

To work, also need to take breaks, breathe. Concentration is like sprints and brain will eventually lose concentration when tired.

Concentration increases the brain’s energy consumption and releases:

  • Adrenaline increasing alertness and focus.
  • Cortisol mobilizes energy reserves

Working for too long will result in problems like muscle tension, headaches, and mental exhaustion. Rest should be not thinking about work and finding peace and quiet. Rest can also be done in a routine such as timed habits.

Digital media can hurt concentration as content is endless and causes distraction.

Flow State

Section titled “Flow State”

When in concentration or flow, it can feel like:

  • The right place and right time
  • Productive work
  • Work is rewarding
  • Focus on current moment:
    • Brain waves switch from beta (attention and alertness) to alpha and theta waves (associated with deep relaxation)
    • Alpha and theta waves promote relaxed focus and give opportunity for new ideas and perspectives
    • Effectively can be like releasing all fears

Getting into flow can improve with practice and increasing confidence and being positive. However, don’t desire to get into flow, but relax into naturally.

See Also

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