Finding Focus in a World That Won’t Slow Down

We all live in a world that draws our attention at every turn. Notifications, deadlines, social media pings, and the always-there thrum of modern life all place demands on our ability to focus, and for those with ADHD or even without, the constant influx of stimuli can easily become overwhelming, making it almost impossible to stay in the moment, concentrate on tasks, or even just enjoy a moment to yourself.

It’s essential, as far as possible, to regain an element of control over your focus in this fast-paced world. The good news is that focus isn’t something that you either have or don’t; it’s like a muscle, something we can train and strengthen and – even if you do have challenges in this area – your attention span can improve with practice, the right strategies, and some patience and understanding.

It’s not just about willpower…

One of the biggest misunderstandings about focus is the idea that it is simply a case of willpower. If you are prepared to try, you’ll get there, won’t you? This might be how it works for some people, but focus is about a lot more than just effort. It entails setting up the ideal environment, recognising where you are mentally, and working with your brain rather than struggling against it.

For those with ADHD, and this is an increasing number of us in the present day, focus is often hyperactive. If you have the condition, you’ll be familiar with those periods of hyperfocus where the mind closes like a trap around one thing and is impermeable to anything else. It can be fleeting, too, shifting from one thing to another. The key is not trying to force focus where it can’t be found, but instead working with your natural tendencies to create a structure where concentration is supported and encouraged.

How to train your brain for better focus

Engage in intentional, active focus

Passive engagement – a good example would be scrolling (doom or otherwise) through social media – doesn’t benefit focus. It depletes it, drawing you away from what you are trying to do even after you’ve physically disengaged. Choosing activities that encourage deeper thought, such as learning something new or logging your thoughts in a journal, can hold your attention without becoming overwhelming.

Break tasks down

Many of us live among clutter because the idea of getting things tidy is such a huge, multi-faceted task. The key is to break tasks like this down into smaller, more manageable steps. If you’ve been struggling with the concept of tidying your living space, think about it as a number of tasks. Gathering clothes into a hamper, putting away devices, loading the dishwasher, and so on. If you can list things that need to be done, then tick them off one at a time, you can see progress being made, and suddenly it’s not so overwhelming.

Practice mindfulness and grounding

Anxiety and overstimulation can pull focus in infinite directions at once, and the key is so practice mindfulness. It will probably irritate you to hear this, but whatever is distracting you can wait a few minutes. Take the time to breathe deeply – trying the 4-7-8 method can help you centre yourself and then you can place yourself in the present using the 5-4-3-2-1 system, naming five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell and one you can taste. While things seem to be moving around you, a little stillness can make things feel much better.

Create a distraction-free environment

The world itself is noisy, and even if you sit down in a plain white room with only your to-do tasks in front of you, there are still distractions to battle. Investing in noise-cancelling headphones can be beneficial; some people like to play light classical music while they do things, but if you find catchy pop or even guitar noise helps you focus, go for it. There are also apps that block distracting websites, and minimalist setups that are designed for people with concentration challenges, and these are worth exploring.

Mental exercise

It does help to think of focus as a muscle; when you exercise it regularly, it does get stronger. And for sure, it will get tired if you overload it, so you do need to be careful with that. Strategy games, puzzles and logic-based teasers can be a great way to improve concentration with the benefit that they have low stakes; it’s not the end of the world if you don’t get the right answer, it’s using your brain that’s the key.

Classic games like Minesweeper are a perfect example. They reward thinking laterally, challenging your brain just enough without overwhelming it. They route your thinking in a logical way, processing patterns, making calculations, and retaining information. Sudoku, or a moderately challenging crossword, can have the same effect.

The sweet spot in mental exercise is finding something that encourages you to think clearly without being excessively demanding. The exercise should be engaging, relaxing, and never frustrating – remember, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have the answers, nobody’s keeping score.

Physical exercise – why it helps

It has been noticed by people who struggle for focus that, often, movement helps them stay on top of concentration. This is understandable; physical activity increases levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, both of which are necessary for attention regulation. If you want to make physical exercise part of your concentration efforts, there are several good ways to do it, which include:

• Taking a short walk before you are due to work for a few hours
• Using a standing desk, or even working at the kitchen counter occasionally
• Stretching or doing yoga if you find your mind wandering

You’ve probably seen it depicted on TV where an individual paces up and down while trying to crack a problem. This didn’t become a cliche for no reason; people have found it to be an effective way of redirecting the nervous energy that can often disturb your focus.

The world often seems to want to distract us at every turn, and it can be hard to push that aside. But by using the right techniques – and being aware that total, laser focus is not a realistic aim – you can get the better of distraction and gain some mental tranquility when you really need it.