We all have experienced our minds wandering off into a different space and time as we struggle to focus on something. Research shows that when we’re reading, typically, our mind tends to lose focus twenty to forty percent of the time. It can take a lot of effort to maintain focus on something voluntarily, and we all struggle with it sometimes.
If we understand how our attention span works, we can hack it and gain our mental focus back to concentrate on essential things.
How the Brain Regulates Your Attention Span
Our brain comprises of two systems: System 1 and System 2, outlined by Daniel Kahneman in his latest book, Thinking, Fast and Slow.
System 1: It’s an involuntary system in our brain that’s always active, taking different stimuli and processing them. It automatically makes decisions on our behalf, like stopping all movement in the limbs when we encounter a tarantula or turning our heads as someone calls out our name.
System 2: It’s a voluntary system in our brain. It processes the suggestions that System 1 offers, make a decision accordingly, and decides where to assign our attention. People assume that our mind make a lot of conscious decisions, but the interesting part is that we decide everything consciously based on the suggestions and reactions given by System 1.
Getting Focus Back
Meditate
Meditation offers myriad benefits. The most prominent of it includes improvement in attention span. As meditation is an exercise to focus our attention on one thing and being aware when the mind wanders, it can improve your mental focus even when you’re not meditating.
Meditation delivers a lasting effect because the mental focus is like a muscle. The more you work it out, the stronger it gets.
Spend time outdoors
Spending time outdoors — especially in nature — can help you relax and help your brain synchronize with your body. Research shows that spending anywhere between ten to fifty minutes outdoors can help regulate your blood pressure, improve mood, and retain focus. We recommend that you spend more time in nature than in a bustling city because the city offers many distractions for your mind to wander off.
Immerse yourself in activities you enjoy
When we’re completely immersed in what we love doing, our inner dialogue tends to switch off. It allows our mind to recoup and rest and increase focus when we’re doing complex tasks again.
About Cyborggainz
More than just Biohacking, Somaoptimizing is what I do.
Do you want to learn more about how you can hack your body? My widely read book titled Neuroscience Calisthenics can help you! I am the founder of Cyborggainz where I offer biohacking strategies for beginners. I also offer personalized workout and meal plans and online calisthenics coaching. If you want to learn how you can change your life for the better you can get in touch with me.
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