Improve Short Attention Span With 8 Simple Ways

Do you really concentrate on your work details when you are working or your mind is wandering in the streets of Paris? As soon as your mind is away, you tend to pick up your phone, search something related and Woosshhh! your productivity time is consumed in unnecessary things. Well, you are not alone in this vicious cycle, many of us are spending 47% of our working hours in a similar state, causing a short span of attention.

When you have low attention span, you may find yourself with situations like:

• Poor communication skills with your colleagues or family members
• Miss out crucial details in between the work
• Inattentiveness during lectures, examinations or meetings
• Easy distraction from work
• Poor performance in schools or workplace

Sometimes, people with ADHD face short concentration span because of the medical condition that doesn’t allow work attention. Other causes of short concentration span include depressive state of mind, autism, head injury causing trauma, learning disabilities and personality disorder.

How To Increase Attention Span For Better Performance?

Although it is important to understand that treatment for short attention span varies as per underlying condition. For example, someone facing depression and short attention span may need to go for behavioral therapy and recommended medications.

Other than mental conditions, there are other ways to increase attention span.

1. Cut Down Screen Time

Even if you agree or disagree with it, research and facts state that your screen time can make you lose your focus very quickly. Accessing social media websites, online videos, and surfing could easily waste precious time. Moreover, we cannot forget to mention the constant notifications that pop up and take your attention away from work.

2. What Diverts You Must Remain Out Of The Way

Take a moment with yourself and realize what is it that diverts your attention. Is it your phone, your colleagues or any background noise like neighborhood construction? Is the room temperature bothering you or the cluttered desk space? Figure out the reasons for distraction and take a call to get away from it.

3. Don’t Overstress; Take Breaks

It could be some trouble with your spouse or illness of your family member that becomes the reason for a short attention span but the solution lies in promising yourself to work for at least an hour and then take a 10 minutes break to address the problem. When you make up your mind for a break, you are satisfied with your work schedule. Even if there is nothing specific, make sure to reassemble your thoughts in the break only.

4. DO NOT Multitask

Forget about all the things in your plate right now! Find out what is most important at the moment. Now when you put your whole focus in one work, not only it will be finished earlier but also perfectly. Or else multitasking will only ruin everything. It is possible that you feel anxious due to workload but would you be able to wrap up work with such anxiousness? No! So, better focus on one and get away from the short span of attention.

5. Sleep Well

If you haven’t had a good sleep for a few days, it is likely that you are facing a low attention span. In order to have an improved attention, try best yoga poses an hour before sleeping, herbal trees for stress removal and the technique of 10, 60 and 120. It is also true that too much sleep can make you feel sluggish, so better avoid the extremes.

6. Try Timeboxing Method

This method holds an important place in the business world where many professionals make sure that they decide an activity and dedicate specific time to it with pure focus. As the time ticks, they shift themselves to the next block and next activity. Between the blocks, one can take a break for a few minutes, finish up other necessities and get back to work. The method has proved to be useful for productivity maximization and increased attention span.

7. Brain Games

Let’s try to train your brain for better concentration power by using apps for brain training. These games improve your cognitive skills, sharpen your memory and train your brain nerves with fresh ideas. So even if you have an urge to pick up your phone or spend extra time with a device, make sure that you invest 5-10 minutes on these brain games.

8. Practice Active Listening

Active listening is an underrated practice but if you try to listen to a person actively and focus in the moment, you will be able to improve your short attention span soon. Failure to listen actively shows that you not only have a short attention span but also impulsiveness in your behavior. But listening keeps you grounded and improves your interpersonal skills.

Bonus Thoughts

It is great if you follow the above methods to improve attention span but addition of certain things in your lifestyle can really help you more. For example:

• Include exercises or yoga in your routine life.
• Meditate often and understand your strengths & weaknesses.
• Play some good music in your breaktime and refresh your mind.
• Chew gum in between your work as it brings you back in the moment.
• Keep yourself hydrated and let the brain soak some freshness.

Short span of attention affects your work in a negative way and disrupts the flow of personal life too. So, develop some patience, try the methods above or if you are going through a mental disorder then connect with a counselor. You can even drop us a message at info@calmsage.com to connect you with an expert.