Experts point out that the ‘attention span’ in people has been getting shorter and shorter, especially in the last few years. Of course, it can be said that social media has a great impact on this process. In these times when we can jump from content to content with a flick of the finger, we do not need to tire ourselves by focusing on ‘something’ for a long time. It is possible to see the effect of this situation in new popular music and advertisements.
On the other hand, the fact that we do not focus our attention on one place can lead to attention deficit for some people. However, it should not be confused with ‘attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),’ which is a clinical disorder. ADHD, which should be taken seriously, should be evaluated by an expert other than the recommendations mentioned in this article. However, for individuals who commonly suffer from ‘attention disorder’, the following advice may be helpful.
You can make these suggestions a habit:
If you find yourself unable to focus on anything during the day and constantly distracted, you can overcome this with some easy steps. Although there is no shortcut to a solution, you can first start by ‘giving yourself’ to what is going on around you. The commonly used ‘5-4-3-2-1’ technique can be your first step. This technique, which is also used in psychological disorders such as anxiety, can help you to look more carefully at what is happening around you.
Here’s how the 5-4-3-2-1 technique works:
- Count the 5 entities you see around you.
- Count the 4 entities around you that you can touch.
- Count the 3 entities you hear around you.
- Count the 2 entities you can smell around you.
- Count 1 entity around you that you can enjoy.
The second technique you can use to increase your attention span is ‘active listening’. Active listening is a term for not only responding to what the person you are talking to is saying, but also understanding the reasons behind what the other person is saying and the psychology of the other person. Thanks to this technique, which requires serious mental effort, you can focus more comfortably on the moment you are in.
In addition, according to experts, taking a break during a job is one of the important factors that increase our attention. Taking a break from work, even for a few minutes, to distract yourself can make a big difference in your attention span when you start again. Have you tried these techniques before? Have you seen any difference if you have tried it? You can share your thoughts in the comments section.