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

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.