How do I increase my attention span?
January 11, 2022 3:59 PM Subscribe
If you've struggled with your attention span during the pandemic what concrete steps have you taken to repair it?
I'm struggling so much with focusing on my work lately. Everything seems pointless and broken.
But it's not like I'm just procrastinating from work with enjoyable things either -- I start movies and don't finish them. I get a couple chapters into new books and then put them down. I watch seven or eight episodes of a show and then just give up.
Mostly I care about getting the work done. I wish I could just turn off my brain and disappear into it, but it always feels like I'm battling myself.
I'm struggling so much with focusing on my work lately. Everything seems pointless and broken.
But it's not like I'm just procrastinating from work with enjoyable things either -- I start movies and don't finish them. I get a couple chapters into new books and then put them down. I watch seven or eight episodes of a show and then just give up.
Mostly I care about getting the work done. I wish I could just turn off my brain and disappear into it, but it always feels like I'm battling myself.
Walks. Ideally three a day. This gives me something to plan around. But really just feeling some sunlight, noticing how my boots get slightly muddy. The flush of warmth on getting inside from the winter air. Pretty much the only reliable thing I’ve found.
posted by elephantsvanish at 4:07 PM on January 11, 2022 [9 favorites]
posted by elephantsvanish at 4:07 PM on January 11, 2022 [9 favorites]
I got diagnosed and treated for ADHD as an adult. They started me on a super low dose of Adderall which was basically just like caffeine.
Now I know the feeling and I just use caffeine.
posted by bbqturtle at 4:16 PM on January 11, 2022 [3 favorites]
Now I know the feeling and I just use caffeine.
posted by bbqturtle at 4:16 PM on January 11, 2022 [3 favorites]
I try to walk the dog three times a day and make the walk my deadline for finishing a task. I also have started writing down, by hand, every little thing I do at work. It’s rewarding enough to pull me along on some (not all) days. It is just such a struggle.
posted by HotToddy at 4:30 PM on January 11, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by HotToddy at 4:30 PM on January 11, 2022 [4 favorites]
I did several things:
I made way way way shorter lists of things I needed to do, sometimes limiting myself to accomplishing three things in a day, because I didn't know how much time they took.
I bought a subscription to a print magazine I really love so I could have something that genuinely kept my attention, reminding myself that it's my time to waste if I want to do nothing but look at Metafilter.
I excised my dopamine sources to certain hours and then I put the phone down or I get my pen and I draw or do art on a tablet. I realised that by drawing on a tablet, I could get over the irritation of ruining a perfectly good piece of paper with terrible art, which had helped me focus on one piece and work through several works consistently over the last few months.
I evaluated my sources of information and closed a lot of accounts that were really time sucks and money sinks. For example, I got really into a management guru to the point I invested in services they had and then discovered their customer service was awful and it all boiled down to self-actualization.
posted by parmanparman at 4:38 PM on January 11, 2022 [3 favorites]
I made way way way shorter lists of things I needed to do, sometimes limiting myself to accomplishing three things in a day, because I didn't know how much time they took.
I bought a subscription to a print magazine I really love so I could have something that genuinely kept my attention, reminding myself that it's my time to waste if I want to do nothing but look at Metafilter.
I excised my dopamine sources to certain hours and then I put the phone down or I get my pen and I draw or do art on a tablet. I realised that by drawing on a tablet, I could get over the irritation of ruining a perfectly good piece of paper with terrible art, which had helped me focus on one piece and work through several works consistently over the last few months.
I evaluated my sources of information and closed a lot of accounts that were really time sucks and money sinks. For example, I got really into a management guru to the point I invested in services they had and then discovered their customer service was awful and it all boiled down to self-actualization.
posted by parmanparman at 4:38 PM on January 11, 2022 [3 favorites]
I suspect that this might not be about attention issues so much as depression and burnout. I think this because of the "it all seems pointless and broken" comment, the fact that it's not just affecting your work but also your fun times, and the fact that so many people right now are dealing with these feelings.
If this is the issue then some of the suggestions above might help on the margins but won't make a fundamental difference. You'll have to try to deal with the depression and burnout -- whether through medication or changing your job or getting a therapist or teleporting to a parallel universe where shit isn't fucked the way it is here. Unfortunately I know that is easier said than done, especially now, but if it's not really an attention problem at root then treating it as if it is won't solve it.
posted by contrapositive at 5:14 PM on January 11, 2022 [15 favorites]
If this is the issue then some of the suggestions above might help on the margins but won't make a fundamental difference. You'll have to try to deal with the depression and burnout -- whether through medication or changing your job or getting a therapist or teleporting to a parallel universe where shit isn't fucked the way it is here. Unfortunately I know that is easier said than done, especially now, but if it's not really an attention problem at root then treating it as if it is won't solve it.
posted by contrapositive at 5:14 PM on January 11, 2022 [15 favorites]
I take NAC and fish oil, and I think they help to an extent. But I've got ADHD and mostly my life is just held together with coping mechanisms, spit and anxiety.
One thing I do when I have a project I'm having trouble focusing on, is to have another, different project going at the same time. I work from home so if the dreaded monthly report is on the agenda for the day, I'll also identify a few household chores I want to get done and I'll bounce back and forth between housework and work-work. It's harder when I'm in the office because I don't have any physical-type tasks I can bounce to, but in that case I will make myself get up and take a lap around the building every hour or so.
Reading books is harder, as I can't focus if I'm anxious and if I'm too relaxed I fall asleep. One thing I do is listen to audiobooks while I'm doing something else. That way I can stay awake and listen. I also frequently purchase books on both Audible and Kindle, so I can sit and read when I feel like it and listen to the audio version at other times.
I start movies and don't finish them. I get a couple chapters into new books and then put them down. I watch seven or eight episodes of a show and then just give up.
This is just... normal for me. If something doesn't grab me or engross me I'm done and on to the next thing. I don't try to make myself read or watch something I'm not enjoying, since the very purpose of those things is enjoyment and relaxation. If I'm not finding these forms of entertainment satisfying I try to think of other ways to relax. Maybe podcasts or magazines, since you can consume them in shorter bites, without feeling like you've given up if you don't read every article or listen to every episode. I'll also admit to spending more time on TikTok than is probably admirable, but it DOES relax me and it works with my miniscule attention span when I just want to escape my thoughts and be entertained for a while.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 5:37 PM on January 11, 2022 [4 favorites]
One thing I do when I have a project I'm having trouble focusing on, is to have another, different project going at the same time. I work from home so if the dreaded monthly report is on the agenda for the day, I'll also identify a few household chores I want to get done and I'll bounce back and forth between housework and work-work. It's harder when I'm in the office because I don't have any physical-type tasks I can bounce to, but in that case I will make myself get up and take a lap around the building every hour or so.
Reading books is harder, as I can't focus if I'm anxious and if I'm too relaxed I fall asleep. One thing I do is listen to audiobooks while I'm doing something else. That way I can stay awake and listen. I also frequently purchase books on both Audible and Kindle, so I can sit and read when I feel like it and listen to the audio version at other times.
I start movies and don't finish them. I get a couple chapters into new books and then put them down. I watch seven or eight episodes of a show and then just give up.
This is just... normal for me. If something doesn't grab me or engross me I'm done and on to the next thing. I don't try to make myself read or watch something I'm not enjoying, since the very purpose of those things is enjoyment and relaxation. If I'm not finding these forms of entertainment satisfying I try to think of other ways to relax. Maybe podcasts or magazines, since you can consume them in shorter bites, without feeling like you've given up if you don't read every article or listen to every episode. I'll also admit to spending more time on TikTok than is probably admirable, but it DOES relax me and it works with my miniscule attention span when I just want to escape my thoughts and be entertained for a while.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 5:37 PM on January 11, 2022 [4 favorites]
Daily exercise and meditation. Abstention from caffeine. Very little intake of alcohol. Sparing and selective use of social media (deleted Facebook account completely). Turned off all notifications on my phone except for phone calls and texts, and texts from unknown senders are filtered.
posted by TrialByMedia at 5:38 PM on January 11, 2022
posted by TrialByMedia at 5:38 PM on January 11, 2022
A few people have mentioned depression and burnout, and I think that's a strong possibility. I've had similar problems in the past few months, in my case probably compounded by the postpartum period and the sleep problems that come with babies.
I find the Headspace app helpful. Exercise, outside time, and sleep will also help, as will a better diet and mindful media consumption, as will finding a therapist. Changing your job might help, but that's drastic and may not be feasible for you. But doing any of these things requires a certain level of effort, and if you're anything like me when I'm in this mode then that motivation may be lacking.
The thing that has helped me take that first step is to stop waiting for the motivation to do the things I know I need to do. I try to treat these things in the same spirit as brushing my teeth - I don't expect to enjoy them but they still need to be done. It doesn't always work but it only has to work some of the time to help.
Maybe make a deal with yourself: you don't have to fix this right now, just pick a few of these suggestions and give them a try for a few months and see where you're at in the spring. Mental health changes are often a slow process.
posted by The Librarian at 5:54 PM on January 11, 2022 [3 favorites]
I find the Headspace app helpful. Exercise, outside time, and sleep will also help, as will a better diet and mindful media consumption, as will finding a therapist. Changing your job might help, but that's drastic and may not be feasible for you. But doing any of these things requires a certain level of effort, and if you're anything like me when I'm in this mode then that motivation may be lacking.
The thing that has helped me take that first step is to stop waiting for the motivation to do the things I know I need to do. I try to treat these things in the same spirit as brushing my teeth - I don't expect to enjoy them but they still need to be done. It doesn't always work but it only has to work some of the time to help.
Maybe make a deal with yourself: you don't have to fix this right now, just pick a few of these suggestions and give them a try for a few months and see where you're at in the spring. Mental health changes are often a slow process.
posted by The Librarian at 5:54 PM on January 11, 2022 [3 favorites]
For me it was hiking, every day that the weather allowed. I think I was a little depressed, although I have never suffered from depression, but it's not really normal times is it.
posted by joannemerriam at 5:57 PM on January 11, 2022
posted by joannemerriam at 5:57 PM on January 11, 2022
Practice! Set a timer and focus on something for a small amount of time. Increase the time the next day.
The most important thing to focus attention however is to have something to focus on, something that keeps your attention. Motivation is in the thing, not just in our minds. That makes sense: work is often dumb and useless, the only motivation is shame or money. The world is falling to pieces all around us. Millions of people have died! Countless more debilitated through illness. It's ok to be distracted by all this
posted by dis_integration at 6:46 PM on January 11, 2022 [1 favorite]
The most important thing to focus attention however is to have something to focus on, something that keeps your attention. Motivation is in the thing, not just in our minds. That makes sense: work is often dumb and useless, the only motivation is shame or money. The world is falling to pieces all around us. Millions of people have died! Countless more debilitated through illness. It's ok to be distracted by all this
posted by dis_integration at 6:46 PM on January 11, 2022 [1 favorite]
I found it helpful to do a deep dive into whatever topic managed to hold my interest. That topic turned out to be a surprise and had no practical value in itself, but it helped me get back to myself somewhat. Plus I learned some cool facts. I also started learning an instrument. That helped a bit, given that it used my brain in a totally different way than my job.
posted by Comet Bug at 8:00 PM on January 11, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Comet Bug at 8:00 PM on January 11, 2022 [1 favorite]
I follow a really flexible yet structured weekly planning system. Over time, this has retrained my brain to relax and strengthened my self-belief. I know everything that I put on my calendar has a place; I don’t worry about it until it’s time and I know it’ll get done. This has allowed me to concentrate on the task in front of me more deeply and for longer, and to get into a flow state more often.
The first step to this is making a comprehensive list of every project, activity or task that takes up rent in your head. Even if it’s not begun; if you’re thinking about it at all, it goes on the list. Then triage your list and for each item decide if you’re going to Do (some or all of) it this upcoming week, Delay, Dump, or Delegate. This activity is literally mind blowing and does wonders for your ability to concentrate.
It’s also helpful to come up with a compelling reason for every item on the list. If you can’t, Dump the thing, you should not be doing I t!
When we know we want to be doing and have sold ourselves on our reasons why, we reduce the urge to procrastinate, we weaken that pathway as a coping strategy, and we gain clarity and focus in everything.
I’m excited for you!
posted by iamkimiam at 10:46 PM on January 11, 2022 [5 favorites]
The first step to this is making a comprehensive list of every project, activity or task that takes up rent in your head. Even if it’s not begun; if you’re thinking about it at all, it goes on the list. Then triage your list and for each item decide if you’re going to Do (some or all of) it this upcoming week, Delay, Dump, or Delegate. This activity is literally mind blowing and does wonders for your ability to concentrate.
It’s also helpful to come up with a compelling reason for every item on the list. If you can’t, Dump the thing, you should not be doing I t!
When we know we want to be doing and have sold ourselves on our reasons why, we reduce the urge to procrastinate, we weaken that pathway as a coping strategy, and we gain clarity and focus in everything.
I’m excited for you!
posted by iamkimiam at 10:46 PM on January 11, 2022 [5 favorites]
For me, losing my phone (put it in another room) can help when it's specifically web checking. But for the kind of burnout-style avoidance feeling that leaves my brain grasping at straws for things to do and then tossing them all aside as not good enough and grasping for a different thing, I just have to slow myself down and be compassionate. Ok, this isn't what I want to be doing right now. What sounds better? Ok, imagine that, does it REALLY sound better? How about some exercise? Making a plan with a friend? Clean out a closet, if my energy is just too high for sitting?
posted by Lady Li at 12:47 AM on January 12, 2022
posted by Lady Li at 12:47 AM on January 12, 2022
I like the most of the answers involve excercise.
> I wish I could just turn off my brain and disappear into it, but it always feels like I'm battling myself.
I dropped in to suggest meditation which is actually the opposite of turning off your brain. Don't turn it off, it does important stuff, but it also does a lot of unimportant stuff and junk that makes you miserable. Meditation is learning to pay attention to what it's doing and do let go of the not-useful bits.
I will happily expand at distressing length if asked.
posted by Awfki at 4:53 AM on January 12, 2022
> I wish I could just turn off my brain and disappear into it, but it always feels like I'm battling myself.
I dropped in to suggest meditation which is actually the opposite of turning off your brain. Don't turn it off, it does important stuff, but it also does a lot of unimportant stuff and junk that makes you miserable. Meditation is learning to pay attention to what it's doing and do let go of the not-useful bits.
I will happily expand at distressing length if asked.
posted by Awfki at 4:53 AM on January 12, 2022
Meditation (as mentioned by others, Headspace is a good way to start).
Don’t look at your devices as soon as you wake up. Start with a 30 min period and increase as that gets easier.
If it is feasible for you, explore the idea of a digital sabbath (taking one day per week to unplug).
posted by clark at 7:14 PM on January 15, 2022
Don’t look at your devices as soon as you wake up. Start with a 30 min period and increase as that gets easier.
If it is feasible for you, explore the idea of a digital sabbath (taking one day per week to unplug).
posted by clark at 7:14 PM on January 15, 2022
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Perhaps this site will be of some help for you.
posted by LOOKING at 4:05 PM on January 11, 2022 [1 favorite]