What's the Difference between Attention + Concentration?

Attention is your ability to absorb/process information. It’s no secret that where your attention goes energy flows, we have all heard this before..

Concentration is highly necessary to focus your mind specifically on one thing.

It is difficult to apply attention to several items at once, no - one; neither women or me can effectively (if at all) multi-task. You will absorb much better quality information through concentrating your attention on a single task instead.

For example, when reading a book, you can read every word on the page quickly with concentration but you reach the end of the page and realise you haven't grasped anything - it's because attention wasn't there. You didn't slow down to process and absorb the information.

In this age of fast tech, fast food, fast facts, fast EVERYTHING, most of us these days dont retain much of anything anymore, have trouble recalling information and very easily feel overhwhelmed as too many things are demanding our attention while asking for us to also concentrate. It’s no surprise that many of us in the Wellness world see and feel that the next pandemic is already here - that of mental health issues as anxiety, overwhelm and depressionhave become the norm in the West,

One thing that helps me with my Attention and Concentration daily is to keep coming back to my VALUES; letting them lead so I that I can be in alignment with those as priority, then you’ll find that the rest is neither important or urgent! Everything else becomes like optional extras, or background noise, which does not bother me.

So if you have never sat down to identify your values to be led by them, this can be a very easy and fun process!

Take 10 minutes to write down and deel into what qualities and themes matter the most to you as person, then also matter to you in your workplace. Identify 3- 6 maximum then stick to them. Obviously working for yourself you have more freedom to define which values really matter to you, so that you can focus and amplify those. But even working for a company you can stil choose to focus on one or two standards and values that matter to you.

So starting with your values is key. Below are 4 of the Easiest methods I’ve found to increase both Attention and Concetration.

FOUR EASY WAYS TO CONCENTRATE AND GIVE YOUR FULL ATTENTION.

1. TURN OFF PHONE NOTIFICATIONS OR ONTO AEROPLANE MODE

Recently I read somewhere that is harder to ignore a notification that to resist the temptation of a chocolate bar or sex, that’s quite a heavy pull! There is no logical or rational reason to constantly check notifications or email during a workday, yet we do..It’s the lure of those likes which give us a Dopamine hit. Anyone who has watched the haunting Social Dilemma knows that Zuckerberg and these cunning social media companies, actually have set it up so that algorithms stalk you and intentionally are mining for your attention.

What helps me is about 45 min blocks of work with my phone on Flight mode and in another room, then 15 min off and ‘connecting’.. Try it for yourself and see how you go. Onviuously we all have different needs and attention spans, so experiment with different timings to find what may work better for you.

2.DON’T SHARE IT

True attention is expansive and makes memories that much more colorful, intense and memorable. When you are sharing an experience on social media, you are less actually involved in the experience whch means you remember less of it. Adding in the action of photographing that sensational sunset, ironically has caused you to disconnect from it, so the mental memory is less vivid when you recall it.

I remember when I first traveled around Europe alone, was well into my photography, using my old school non-digital SLR. I had just arrived in Valencia, put down my heavy backpack in the hostel and took a walk to orient myself - as I do in every new city- when I rounded the corner that I was told would lead me to the ocean, I saw an explosion of whirling pinks, purples, oranges, and grey dark swollen clouds all dancing together in this orgasmic light show of sea and sky. At the same time as I was drawn towards it to LIVE the experience, I was pulled back by my mind telling me to go get the camera and tripod. I ignored the urge and went right down to the sea and soaked that sunset into my senses. Still remains one of the most vivid and powerful sunsets I’ve ever been blessed to witness. Phone free yet forever recorded in my memory.

3.CLOSE THOSE OPEN ENDS.

I must admit I’m the Queen of starting projects and generating new creative ideas and collaborations! However, lately I rarely do come to full completion on most of these, which is fine as not every idea is meant to be the next big thing, some creative ideas are short lived and non-feasible in reality or maybe best in another time..

However in everyday life, things in your environment left unfinished make you pay less attention to the moment you’re in. Don’t start a task if you know you can’t finish it, especially before bed or before you’re scheduled to meet someone online. You’re diminishing your attention and self -sabotaging!

4.THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE

Only found out this technique is actually a named technique recently, which also has an app for it.

To be able to focus attention and concentrate you also need moments of non-focus. I love skygazing or drawing or a quick burst of yoga. Anything non-techy and that gets you into your body and senses is ideal and considered non-focus.

Similar to my 50 min off and 10 min on, he goes by half of that time, which is 25min on and 5 min off. It takes me longer to get into the flow, so I’ll stick to my 50min, plus I would recommend trying different time slots that work for you and then a fraction of that in off mode. Check out the Pomodoro technique

So just to conclude, Attention and Concentration work hand in hand and ideally work best once you have identified what your Values are.

Please so share any other techniques that have helped you be more Attentive and what are your Values?