Focus and Attention: The difference, our abilities, and how to increase them

Written by: Leslie Wells

Many may not realize or consider the differences between focus and attention. Season 1, Episode 14 of The WingSpace Podcast provides listeners with a full length episode on the subject, complete with explanations and examples, but for the purpose of this blog, here’s the short hand: 

Attention v. Focus

“According to the Information Processing Model — a model used in psychology to describe how we make sense of the information we get from our environment and our minds, and how we take action — attention is the process that allows us to bring what we perceive into short-term memory. By doing this, we become conscious of the perceived information and can decide what to do with it. Since short-term memory is limited in capacity, paying attention to fewer things prevents us from being overwhelmed by all the information available in the environment and in our minds.” 

“Focus is characterized by being locked into a task for a prolonged period of time. However, like attention, it is not always intentional — even if we tend to think the opposite. Let's say you have a problem with your boss, and you can't help but think about it during your off-hours. You spend a lot of time stuck on those thoughts, and the more you try to move your mind away from them, the more it latches on. That's focus. Not a productive type of focus, but still focus.” (Concetta Cucchiarelli, June 24, 2024)

A healthy attention span and ability to focus may be characterized by higher levels of productivity, good listening skills, and a strong orientation to detail. Lacking attention and focus, however, may look more like forgetfulness, difficulty retaining information as it’s being heard/read, or difficulty prioritizing/completing tasks. Since our abilities to pay attention and direct our focus can be influenced by biological, environmental, emotional factors, and beyond, there are many things we can do to improve them. 

Physical/Biological 

Sometimes the barrier to attention and focus has to do with excess energy in the body, or contrarily, a depletion of nutrients, hydration, or sleep. Starting by examining physical and biological factors can look like:

Prioritizing movement- adding steps, stretching, and maybe even a little sweat to your day can relieve stress and increase blood flow, which both support increased levels of concentration

Eating brain nourishing foods- foods such as blueberries, leafy greens, eggs, and fatty fish contain nutrients that support concentration. 

Prioritizing sleep- 8-10 hours of sleep is the recommended amount for adults to function optimally throughout the day. 

Environmental

Setting up for success might have less to do with what’s going on in the body, and more to do with what’s going on in the space around the body. Creating an environment that supports high levels of focus and attention can look like:

Eliminating distractions- this could mean using earplugs or headphones to reduce loud noises, adjusting the climate or lights to be comfortable for longer periods of time, choosing a comfortable seat, or even communicating the need for privacy.

Listen to music- music with a slow tempo, repetitive nature, and few/no lyrics can help increase concentration. 

Use organizational tools- timers, to do lists (and distraction to do lists!), and calendars provide visual or auditory cues/reminders to keep us on track.  

Mental/Emotional 

While they may be less obvious, mental and emotional conditions may also be the culprits of lacking attention and focus. Processing emotions and creating mental space looks differently for everyone, but here’s a few great places to start: 

Concentration Exercises- games or puzzles that challenge memory or attention to detail can help increase abilities to focus and pay attention over time.

Meditation- if you’re new to meditation, tune into a free guided meditation here to give it a try!

Externalize- engaging in therapy or journaling can help to clear the clutter in our minds and make sense of issues that are otherwise distracting, confusing, and exhausting our energy!

To learn more about attention and focus, tune into Episode 14 of The WingSpace podcast!

Sources:

https://getfreewrite.com/blogs/writing-success/the-psychological-processes-of-attention-focus#:~:text=In%20simple%20terms%3A,they%20hold%20very%20different%20purposes.