It was my own fault. Whenever I looked in the mirror, the person staring back at me was the one responsible for all my work distractions, occurring multiple times an hour. I never counted the number, but it was a lot, especially with my cell phone nestled next to my laptop.

The easy access to my device set me up for constant interruptions. Whenever I responded to the pulse of an incoming text on my phone, it was tempting to start checking all sorts of other messages on my phone. The result? My ability to concentrate and think deeply was suffering.

This was my a-ha moment last August during the npnHub roundtable “Attention Management: The New Currency in the Digital Age” with Ana Smith. As Ana explained to nodding heads, digital distractions are pervasive today. They reduce our productivity, diminish the quality of personal and professional interactions, and can harm our health.

The ability to manage our attention is a valuable skill. That’s because attention is a finite resource. During our waking hours, we only have so much attention that can be captured, used, and of course, monetized. Many, such as Kit CEO Nathan Barry, maintain that “attention is the most valuable currency on earth.”

This concept isn’t new. In 1971 the American social scientist Herbert A. Simon first wrote about the attention economy. He observed that information overload led to attention scarcity. And that “a wealth of information created a poverty of attention.”

More than 50 years later, the situation is more extreme. The quantity of information has exploded. Plus, we all carry our mobile phones/tiny computers with us, giving us immediate access to information wherever we are. And many of us wear a “smart watch” giving us a second screen on our wrist.

And over the past 25 years, the field of neuroscience has made major advances. We now know the brain is wired for inattention and inertia to keep us alert and preserve our energy if we need to respond to any danger. Our brain’s inclination to zone out when there are no danger signs combined with our devices and habits, hurt our ability to pay attention.

How do we guard against our poor attention habits dumbing us down and hurting our physical and mental health? Recognize that attention management is a skill we need to perform all the time. When we manage our attention better, we’re able to increase our focus, be more effective, and sustain better mental health and well-being.

What does this attention management skill look like? As Ana reviewed the brain science of attention and asked us in the roundtable to share our personal techniques for trying to improve our focus and productivity, the following became clearer to me:

• One-size tools and practices do not fit all brains. You’ve got to experiment to find the tools and techniques that work well for you. The one consensus that supports the brain science is that your executive function, a la your brain’s prefrontal cortex along with your executive network, is not designed to multi-task. And if you insist on doing two cognitively challenging tasks at a time, such as participating in an online meeting and reading your email, you’ll do both tasks poorly. (For more about this, check out my Forbes Coaches Council article, Be kind to your brain: choose “multi-purposing” over multitasking.)
• We can improve our attention span by selecting and using well-designed tools and techniques that work for us. For example, effective practices include turning off alerts, time blocking, moving to a new location, scheduling breaks, using special apps that track screen time and/or limit access to certain websites, programs or other apps, turning off phones, tablets and other devices or putting them away. For some, “digital detoxes” in which you disconnect from devices for a while also can help. Meditation, mindfulness and physical exercise also improve focus.
• Attention span hygiene needs to be a priority for anyone who wants to optimize their brain’s performance. In other words, if you want to improve your focus, you’ve got to become intentional about minimizing your cognitive disruptions, managing your mental energy, and using your digital devices more effectively. This involves creating a structured supportive environment for focused attention, developing personal habits that promote sustaining attention, and finding and using tools that work well for you. You’ll also improve your focus and reduce your cognitive load.

By the roundtable’s end, we concluded that attention span hygiene needs to start with us as individuals. We must practice what we teach, especially since most of us coach others about performance issues that require focused attention.

We also decided to do a deeper dive on attention span hygiene. Based on my interest in the topic – in spite of my inconsistent practices – I volunteered to work with Ana.

In October we launched our four-part Attention Span Hygiene series. The first session in October was Mastering Attention on Self First, which expanded on the concepts in Ana’s initial roundtable with more sharing about our favorite practices. Our future sessions this month and early next year will focus on how to improve our attention so we can better 2) work with teams, 3) lead others, and 4) engage with family and friends.

After my wake-up call last summer, I’ve increased my concentration at work, primarily by keeping my cell phone away from my immediate work area. I know there’s more I can do to enhance my attention span, including recharging my brain and keeping it refreshed throughout the day.

Meanwhile, my increased self-awareness and actions around attention span hygiene are helping me in another way. They demonstrate that I’m improving as a Master Neuroplastician® in working with myself and my clients to practice neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to rewire itself to achieve stated goals.

If you want to know more about neuroplasticity to help you improve your attention span or take other actions, contact me.