By Through play, reading and good habits, both children and adults can improve their ability to focus on important stimuli while discarding the irrelevant.
Focusing on just one activity is what we call focused attention. Thanks to this ability, you can focus on a specific stimulus while ignoring those that are not important at that moment. This is an invaluable skill for everyday life.
In this article, we will define and exemplify this function, distinguish it from selective and sustained attention, and share practical strategies for cultivating it. Let’s get started!
What is focused attention?
This is the ability to focus on an internal or external task or stimulus and block out distractions. When you focus so much on something that you don’t register the details of what’s going on around you (or you choose to ignore it), it means that you are using this cognitive function . This brain skill is applied in many ways in everyday life; its usefulness is wide-ranging. To give some examples:
- You listen to your teacher lecture, while pushing aside any distracting thoughts.
- In a mindfulness practice , you focus your attention on a candle flame without being distracted by other visual stimuli.
- You supervise your child on the beach playing in the sand, while ignoring other noises and movements around you.
- You concentrate on a phone call, while tuning out the stimuli of a noisy environment such as a restaurant or train station.
Differences with other cognitive skills
Because the different types of attention complement each other, they are sometimes confused with each other or used as synonyms, but they are not. For example, selective attention involves choosing which information deserves attention and which does not, and discarding what is not relevant.
Sustained attention , on the other hand, involves maintaining the focus of attention over time.
Imagine that you are reading a book in the park. Focused attention allows you to concentrate on what you are reading and follow the plot. Using selective attention , you block out the sounds of children playing nearby and focus only on the words you are reading. You are then able to maintain this concentration for thirty minutes thanks to sustained attention.
Another interesting fact is that while concentration is more general and describes the mental state of being absorbed in an activity or task, focused attention is an active and selective process that includes the ability to direct attentional capacity to a specific stimulus, internal or external.
Main Features
Some of the most important aspects of this cognitive faculty are the following:
- It focuses on the quality of the focus and not its duration: it is characterized by its ability to guarantee precise and high-quality focus, regardless of the duration of the fixation.
- It varies between individuals: some people maintain intense, focused attention with ease, but others may find it more difficult to achieve. This variation is influenced by biological, psychological and environmental factors.
- It does not apply correctly to more than one stimulus at a time: it is not possible to focus on several tasks or objects simultaneously. This explains why multitasking can be difficult and generally leads to lower efficiency.
- It does not imply the loss of contact with everything that does not belong to the main focus: even if you concentrate intensely on a stimulus, in general, you are aware of what is happening around you, even if you choose not to pay attention to it.
How to improve focused attention
Good attention span is an increasingly scarce cognitive luxury in our hyper-stimulated world. We live surrounded by constant distractions that compete for our attention, in addition to facing increasing demands and performance anxiety. However, strengthening this type of attention is possible through various strategies and practices. Let’s learn about them.
Attention games
One of the best ways to exercise any cognitive function is through games . Anyone can playfully train their attention by putting together puzzles, solving mazes, participating in memory games (memo tests) or spot the differences.
Sudoku in particular is excellent for people over 9 or 10 years old to strengthen their attention span. And for younger children, it can be very useful to propose geometric recognition activities.
Mindfulness practices
Being in a hurry and paying attention are incompatible. When our mind jumps from one task to another without stopping, it is difficult to really concentrate on what we are doing. Mindfulness invites us to slow down. To start practicing it, you can incorporate small changes into your daily life; we suggest this:
- When you walk, notice how your feet feel with each step you take.
- During meals, pay attention to the flavors and textures of the foods.
- While doing household chores like washing dishes, watch the water running over the dishes.
Silent reading
Reading is a fascinating tool for training the mind and cultivating attentional focus, as well as for learning and entertainment. To maximize the benefits, it is crucial to create a distraction-free environment and minimize external stimuli. In addition, getting away from electronic devices makes a huge difference.
Movement, food and rest
When it comes to physical and cognitive health, we cannot fail to mention these three key elements. Physical exercise increases blood flow and promotes mental clarity.
Likewise, a good night’s sleep improves the quality of attention. And a balanced and healthy diet favors cognitive function. In this regard, a study published in the journal Nutrición Hospitalaria suggests that a low glycemic index diet is associated with improvements in attention, memory, and general functional competence.
Cases where focusing is a great challenge
We all feel like our minds are scattered at times, especially if we are under stress or anxiety. Such emotional states lead to a series of neurobiological changes, such as the release of cortisol and adrenaline. This makes it very difficult for us to maintain quality focus. Beyond this situation that anyone can experience, there are certain clinical conditions that make it difficult to focus attention more continuously.
For example, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by disturbances in attention and concentration, while anxiety disorders , by generating hypervigilance and constant worrying, make focus less precise. Something similar occurs in people with sleep disorders such as chronic insomnia , where fatigue and drowsiness have a negative impact.
Improving attention can be challenging if there is an underlying diagnosis. In such situations, it is often necessary to work on cognitive stimulation and rehabilitation through specialized intervention.
Practice your ability to focus
In this article we explore the relevance of focused attention in our routine. It is essential for our functioning. We also make it clear that attention is like a muscle: the more and better we exercise it, the stronger it becomes. Therefore, we invite you to follow our recommendations on how to avoid multitasking and prioritize focus. Try it!