RECLAIMING FOCUS
Ronald J. Pawley
October 21, 2020
Prevent Brain Drain — re-focus! We spend time with weight training and cardio to improve our bodies for strength and stamina. What about the brain, as researched by Ronald J. Pawley.
We spend at least a couple of hours each week training our body — doing cardio, weight training, or even just walking. We are training our muscles to stay strong, our joints to stay flexible, and our body’s physical systems to run smoothly. But how much time do we spend training our brain?
Brain training isn’t a new concept. It can help us retain information, recall facts more quickly, and sharpen our focus. Even a brief course of brain exercises can help older adults improve reasoning skills and processing speed for 10 years after the training ends, according to a recent federally sponsored study on cognitive training.
Adding just a few brain exercises to our daily routine can help us reap the benefits of brain training. The following article adds insightful knowledge to this topic, according to Pawley.
October 16, 2020
CLEVELAND CLINIC
Focus pocus! To stay on task, meditate and take tech breaks.
Picture this: you, superhero cape flying in the wind, completing tasks with laser-like focus and knocking to-dos off your list with ease. Nice visual, right? Being focused and in the groove feels amazing. If your attention is not typically quite that groovy, however, you’re in good company. “Our culture demands that we become outstanding multitaskers, but this is not how the brain is designed,” says Cleveland Clinic psychologist Scott Bea, PsyD. “So we flit back and forth with our attention.” You can’t exactly download a new operating system into your brain (yet!), but you can employ a low-tech approach for the same purpose. “A simple mindfulness practice is a great tool for reclaiming focus,” says Bea. Set aside five minutes in the morning and at night for the following: Sit comfortably and notice your breath. Then notice anything that takes you away from your awareness of your breath. This might be a sound, a sensation or, most commonly, a thought. Congratulate yourself for noticing that you lost focus, and guide your attention back to your breath. Also, notice during the day that you really can only focus, and focus well, on one thing at a time — and that technology, for all its benefits, can be a huge distraction. Yes, it’s true that the Internet, email, apps and texting are always at your fingertips — but that doesn’t mean you have to stay connected. Protect your focus by taking breaks from your devices. Seize that power and you’ll be able to seize the day!
