Concentrating means mobilizing all of your physical and cognitive resources to accomplish a task in full awareness, without letting yourself be invaded by parasitic thoughts. Whether for sport, work or leisure, this ability is the key to performance.
But according to researcher Gloria Mark, professor at the University of California, who responds to CNBCwe are in full decline. “We don’t use our minds to concentrate for long. We need to get back to training“. An observation shared by Sébastien Thomas, mental trainer of high-level athletes who responded to
True Medical in a previous article, for whom this capacity is certainly unequal, but “she works“.
An alarming decline linked to our new digital uses
The observation is clear: the more books we read, the more we strengthen our working memory. Conversely, the massive consumption of short videos weakens our focus.
In 2004, we stayed focused on a screen for 150 seconds; in 2016, this figure fell to 47 seconds. This permanent zapping generates chronic stress. “When we are focused, we are thoughtful, we can deliberate, we can think more deeply. And when we do that, we can retain information better.”specifies Gloria Mark.
Sébastien Thomas also underlines the importance of identifying one’s own “attentional leakage factors” to counter this noisy environment: “Is it the noise? Is it when people look at you?”
Healthy lifestyle, the basis of mental vigilance
To have iron attention, it all starts on the plate and in the bedroom. Lack of sleep is the number one enemy of concentration. “It’s really important to start your day with a full reservoir of cognitive resources” recalls Gloria Mark. Sébastien Thomas confirms: “The more disrupted your night is, the more your attentional capacity will be reduced during the day..
- Sleep: aim for 7 to 9 hours per night with regular schedules;
- Diet: Favor omega-3 and avoid saturated fats;
- Movement: Twelve minutes of physical exercise a day is enough to boost adolescents’ abilities.
Learn to identify your own biological rhythms
We are not machines: attention fluctuates according to natural cycles. “In our research, we found that people’s attention follows rhythms, so there are ups and downs throughout the day“, explains Gloria Mark. Most of us reach a peak in the morning, followed by a drop in energy around midday.
It is therefore crucial to adapt your activities to these phases. Sport can be a valuable ally here to vary the types of focus. “Football, for example, promotes broad concentration. Conversely, other sports such as fencing develop short concentration and on a single object.” specifies Sébastien Thomas.
Strengthen your focus with targeted exercises
To re-educate your brain, several concrete techniques exist:
- Reading books: This is one of the best exercises. Sébastien Thomas also suggests sudoku or chess;
- Meta-awareness: Learn to surprise yourself when your mind wanders;
- Breathing and anchoring: Sébastien Thomas advises focusing on your body, “which, unlike your brain, is always in the present”. Try staring at an object, like a ball, for 3 minutes without thinking about anything else;
- Positive visualization:This helps condition the brain which might have negative thoughts.” adds the mental trainer.
The loss of concentration is not an inevitability linked to the times, but a warning signal to regain control of our attention. By setting clear goals and adopting protective routines (music, sport, breathing), everyone can restore their balance. “Remember we pay attention to our goals, so stick to that goal and complete it” concludes Gloria Mark.