The lost art of concentration: being distracted in a digital world

... for learning to concentrate better:

Whenever you feel like quitting – just do five more – five more minutes, five more exercises, five more pages – which will extend your focus. 

The rule pushes you just beyond the point of frustration and helps build mental concentration.

• Learning how to be more mindful, practicing mindfulness or meditation, can all help facilitate greater concentration. Start with breathing correctly. In all mindfulness or meditation practice, breathing is key. 
• Another effective technique for boosting concentration is counting backwards. Similarly, spelling words backwards is a good way to focus: start with words that are easy: dog, box, cup, and then build up to longer words.

For any extended period of exercise – whether it be yoga, playing a team sport or dancing – the engagement of the brain with the body is also an exercise in concentration. Regular exercise also activates the body and this is beneficial for the brain.

We have got so used to skim reading for fast access to information that the demand of a more sophisticated vocabulary, a complex plot structure or a novel’s length can be difficult to engage with.

Single-minded attention may need relearning in order to enjoy reading for pleasure again.