How can I improve my attention span?

Welcome to  Pressing Questions ,  Fast Company ’s mini-advice column. Every week, deputy editor Kathleen Davis, host of  The New Way We Work  podcast, will answer the biggest and most pressing workplace questions.



Q: How can I improve my attention span? A: Wait, what? I feel this question deeply. I will no doubt toggle between many of my 57 open tabs and click over to at least four different tasks during the writing of this response. There’s a quote that’s long stuck with me about writing which is applicable to a lot of other types of work: “Good writing is 3% talent and 97% not getting distracted by the internet.” There’s just so much standing in our way of getting things done , and the nature of working online is a big one. If you feel your attention span has shrunk over the last few years , it probably has. 



According to researchers, in 2003 our attention spans were generally around 2.5 minutes, which might sound like an eternity to you because between 2016 and 2019, it dropped to around 47 seconds.



I have two go-to methods when I need to focus on a task at work.



Listen to classical music



I find music with lyrics to be distracting since I work with words. But music is a proven benefit to focus for many people not only to drown out background sounds but also to cover the silence that can make your mind more prone to wander. My choice of classical music is good for other reasons, too. A study conducted at Stanford University School of Medicine found that listening to classical music engages the areas of the brain involved with paying attention, making predictions, and making memories. 



Set a timer



You may have heard of the Pomodoro Technique , essentially setting a timer for block of time (usually 25 minutes) and working without distractions (that means turning off all notifications and closing all tabs and windows you don’t need). After the timer goes off you can check in on all of those distractions again, but what you should really do is take a break. (Devotees suggest five minute breaks for each 25 minutes of focused work.) Stand up, stretch, walk, get a snack. It’s really simple, but it works and is backed up by psychology. As a parent, I use the timer on my phone constantly. I can tell my kids we have five more minutes at the playground. I can say I’m going to spend the next 20 minutes writing this article, but if I don’t set the timer, that 20 minutes will be eaten up with emails and Slack messages and 40 minutes will disappear.



Get out a notebook and pen



Some of the advice I gave for improving your memory works for improving your attention span, too. Writing by hand can be especially helpful. Researchers at Princeton and UCLA found that students who took notes by hand listened more actively and were able to better identify important concepts. They found that longhand note takers engage in more processing and select more important information to include in their notes. Need some more advice on increasing your attention span? Open a few more tabs with these articles: 




You can coach your brain to increase your attention span—here’s how



How to train your brain to increase your attention span



How to train your brain to deal with distractions, learn to concentrate, and refind your motivation



Our attention spans are—squirrel!—shrinking, but social media is sending mixed signals



Feeling distracted? You need to understand the 4 types of attention