Concentration of attention is a person’s ability to concentrate on a specific lesson, as well as save certain information in the reserves of short-term memory. If this property has certain violations, then the person becomes absent-minded and unassembled.
What is the attention
Attention is one of the most important characteristics of a person’s mental activity. By its nature, it can have the following varieties:
- arbitrary - this is a conscious and focused concentration of attention on any object or action that is associated with interest, professional activity, training or other necessity;
- involuntary - arises unconsciously, in connection with any non-standard event or getting into a new environment;
- post-spontaneous - occurs automatically in the case when the concentration on any object occurs at regular intervals (work, study, etc.).
Speaking about the types of concentration of attention, we can say that they completely duplicate the classification given above.
Impaired concentration
Not always a person manages to focus on the implementation of any action, even if this is an objective necessity. This, of course, can be considered a violation. A decrease in concentration leads to distraction, which can be of several types:
- True - attention constantly switches from one object to another, while not lingering for a long time (the case when this condition is caused by nervous or physical exhaustion, as well as severe stress, is called prostration).
- Imaginary - arises as a result of focusing on some personal thoughts, as a result of which concentration on external objects is not possible
- Student - fast switching from one process to another (most typical for schoolchildren and students, where its name comes from).
- Senile - slow switching (caused by impaired mental processes associated with age).
- Motivation-related - we are talking about consciously disconnecting attention from a particular object or process that causes unpleasant or undesirable associations.
- Selective - over time, familiar things cease to attract the attention of a person (we can talk about processes in the body or everyday phenomena).
How to develop attention span
Observing the process of growing up a child, we can conclude that the concentration of attention becomes more and more strong with age. Based on many years of research, standards were drawn up that determine the duration of school lessons, and later university pairs. Nevertheless, even after reaching a certain age, it can be difficult for some individuals to focus and keep their attention on the same object or lesson for a long time. In this case, the development of concentration of attention will require some efforts both from the side of teachers (if we are talking about a child), and from the subject (if we are talking about an adult).
Improving your ability to concentrate is achieved through continuous and hard training. The concentration of attention in children is most often produced by itself. Even those children who at first find it difficult to get used to long and monotonous activities, eventually get used to it.The educational process is aimed at ensuring that, upon completing education, a person is ready for work not only in terms of fundamental knowledge, but also in terms of self-discipline. If, with age, a person does not acquire such abilities, he needs to resort to training through special exercises.
How to improve concentration
High concentration of attention is achieved not only by hard training, but also by creating comfortable conditions. The fact is that any little thing (extraneous noise, a phone call, etc.) can bring a person out of a concentrated state, and then returning to the previous mode of operation will not be so simple. Thus, in order to concentrate on work, resort to the following practical tips:
- Carry a notebook or piece of paper on which your current action will be written. Every time you get distracted by something, this tip will help you get back on track.
- Choose a quiet place for work so that extraneous noise is unattainable for you. If you work at home or in a crowded office, then there is nothing wrong with using ear plugs.
- On your desk should be only the most necessary items for work. Take away everything that may distract you - souvenirs, photographs, and so on.
- The key to effective work is a feeling of comfort and well-being. Your workplace should be equipped with comfortable furniture, as well as in a well-lit and ventilated room with a comfortable temperature. Also do not forget that the body constantly needs to be fed with food and liquid.
- Always make a list of tasks that you need to complete. At the same time, it is important not to be distracted by anything, and most importantly, not to postpone what has been started for later.
Concentration - Exercise
Sometimes in the course of their professional, creative or everyday activities, people find themselves absent-minded and restless. In this case, there is a need for the development and training of such a property as concentration. The exercises offered by psychologists allow you to develop the necessary qualities:
- For the first exercise, you will need a pencil and a piece of paper. Start leading the line, trying to concentrate all your attention on it. When you realize that you are distracted, draw a zigzag. You will get a picture that is somewhat reminiscent of a cardiogram, which will help you evaluate how dispersed you are.
- If you have to ride a bus for a long time or you are standing in line, spend time with benefit. Choose an object for yourself (a poster, a window, a door, and so on), set a certain time on the timer (a couple of minutes will be enough for a start) and try to look and think about it exactly until an alarm sounds. Each time you manage to complete this task, without being distracted for a second, increase the time interval.
- It often happens that while reading a book (even a very interesting one), we are distracted by extraneous thoughts and thoughts. Therefore, always carry a pencil with you. Having noticed that you are thinking about something other than the plot, put a note in the margins opposite the place where you finished the conscious reading. In addition, having finished the page, mentally repeat its contents.
Attention Tests
Concentration and sustainability of attention are important characteristics not only for professional activities, but also for other areas of human life. In order to evaluate these characteristics, psychologists have developed special tests that are used in interviews in large firms. You can also go through them yourself to determine your degree of concentration:
- The Munsterberg test allows you to determine the level of attentiveness.The subject is given a sheet of paper on which many letters are printed without spaces, among which there are both chaotic combinations and congruent words (23). In two minutes, a person should find them all and underline with a pencil, after which the result obtained is compared with the correct answer.
- The Shulje test is a table 5 * 5 in size, in the cells of which the numbers from 1 to 25 are arranged in a chaotic order. The test subject should indicate each of them sequentially as soon as possible. At the same time, it is forbidden to make any notes. The results are evaluated based on the time taken to complete the task.
- The “10 words” test assumes that a subject is read a specific sequence of words. They are not interconnected either in meaning or grammatically. Next, the individual will be asked to reproduce these words. Their sequence is not of particular importance.
Attention Training
Coaching attention is an objective necessity for those who want to work efficiently without being distracted by outside activities. The following techniques are perfect for this, which can be used in between fulfilling your duties:
- Learn to relax. To do this, set the timer for 5 minutes and take a comfortable position (sitting or lying). During this time, your body should not make a single movement (even involuntary). If this experience was a success, then gradually increase the period of such a useful rest.
- Sit straight and extend your arm to the side. Turn your head and look at your fingers for a minute. In this case, you should not have absolutely any extraneous thoughts in your head.
- Fill a glass with water almost to the brim. Extend your hand with the vessel forward and concentrate your attention on it. Your task is not to splash water for a minute.
The given training technique allows not only to improve concentration, but also to balance the nervous system.
Brain charge
A high concentration of attention is the result of the active work of the brain. Just as the body needs morning exercises, the human mind also has the same need. If you are going to work in the morning, or while in transport, do the following set of exercises:
- Count from one to 100 and vice versa (over time, the task can be complicated by saying, for example, only even numbers, or those that are divisible by three).
- Choose at random any letter from the alphabet and remember all the words that begin with it (if you speak a foreign language, you can take advantage of this by completing the task, and you can also enter restrictions on parts of speech).
- Without hesitation, name 20 names (further complicate the task, choosing only male or female).
- Choose any letter of the alphabet that you will need to give a male and female name, city, animal, bird and product (this is not just a good gymnastics for the mind, but also a great idea to pass the time with your child).
Keep in mind that all the above exercises should be performed as quickly as possible, without thinking for too long.
Physiological aspects
The concentration of attention is not always associated with the mental abilities of a person and his psychological characteristics. An important role in this matter is played by the physiological component. That is why improving concentration of attention is inextricably linked with the normalization of lifestyle and daily routine:
- Make it a rule to get a full sleep. If you fall asleep late and get up early, then you are unlikely to be able to give 100% to your mental or creative activities. Let an 8-hour rest be your unshakable rule.
- Pay attention to your diet. Try to include complex carbohydrates, which are slowly processed, constantly nourishing the body as a whole and the brain in particular.Also, before the start of a busy day, be sure to drink a cup of coffee or eat some dark chocolate.
- Set aside time for activities that give you pleasure. This can be a walk, shopping, hobbies, fitness, watching movies, listening to music and much more. Positive emotions contribute to the production of dopamine hormone, which has a beneficial effect on attention.
- If none of the above methods has had a proper effect on the process of concentration, then you need to consult a doctor who will recommend special drugs to you.
Useful Tips
The development of concentration is possible not only through special exercises or techniques, but also through constant self-monitoring. So, wean yourself to bite your nails, knock on the table, actively gesticulate or dangle your legs while sitting.
An important step towards high concentration is gaining emotional balance. Try to protect yourself from negativity and stress, as well as more rest. Make it a rule to listen to calm instrumental music. Also surround yourself with objects of those colors that have a beneficial effect on the nervous system and emotional state (for example, green and blue). Also try not to watch TV shows that carry a negative connotation.
For high-quality mental work, it is necessary to develop both hemispheres of the brain. To do this, it is very useful to periodically change hands when performing any mundane tasks. So, taking a toothbrush or spoon in your left hand (and for left-handers - in your right), you will cause the activity of those parts of the brain that have not previously been involved.
