Don’t Work Against Your Short Attention Span, Work With It

You might believe it’s your biggest weakness but if used correctly, it may improve your results.

My attention issues were apparent very early on. As an experienced educator, who had probably worked with hundreds of kids, my junior kindergarten teacher told my parents that she thought I might have ADHD or something similar.

My parents weren’t happy to hear this, likely because of the stigma around ADHD. I don’t think they believed that it was a valid disorder back then or perhaps they thought I’d be put on drugs and develop a harmful dependence. Whatever the case, I never got tested but I still deal with difficulties maintaining my focus.

Being naturally hyperactive and flighty doesn’t suit most environments in everyday life. At most jobs, it’s usually considered best to be focused and complete tasks one at a time. Schoolwork is easier when we can sit still and study for hours at a time without getting too distracted. Does that mean that if you struggle with an attention deficit, you’re doomed to negative outcomes?

Absolutely not. In fact, I believe that when combined with discipline and persistence, a short attention span can be a great advantage in multiple areas of your life. Here are some reasons I embrace the way my brain works and some strategies I use to optimize my abilities.

Be grateful that you’ll never run out of ideas

Being constantly distracted means that before you even finish one thought, another comes to mind. This can be a nuisance but also a superpower. Many people struggle to think outside the box and instead prefer to follow clear directives. You, on the other hand, have no problem generating new plans, designs, and solutions. This is useful for success in any career, completing school projects, and solving life’s problems. Be grateful for this applicable skill.

Your curiosity facilitates learning

Your tendency to flit about from one idea to the next often indicates a curious mind that’s constantly hungry for new information. What you lack in staying power, you certainly make up for in the way you prolifically gather random facts, quotes, and philosophical perspectives.

I always thought that most of the information I store in my head is useless because it might not have an apparent purpose. However, building a daily writing habit has taught me that the more knowledge I have (no matter how purposeless it might seem at first), the easier it is to think of new topics and bring my writing to life with extra details. You never know when you’ll need those song lyrics you’ve memorized just because you felt like it.

You’re probably super entertaining

Your active, fast-paced mind makes it easy for you to be engaging in everyday conversation, work presentations, and any interactive content you might create. Maybe, you have a natural talent for comedy, public speaking, and hosting since your brain produces an endless flow of ideas and questions to keep people on their toes. You’re like a fairy fluttering from thought to thought, leaving those around you refreshed and energized with your sparkly aura.

Write down all of your ideas

What good are all your flashes of genius when you let them escape your memory? Get in the habit of carrying a notebook or simply make use of the ‘notes’ app on your phone. As soon as something interesting pops into that pretty little head, write it down, and don’t let it go. Without tucking them away, your ideas will get lost in the chaos of your racing mind and they’ll never reach their full potential.

Try mindfulness

According to this study, brief mindfulness meditation improves attention even for those who are new to the practice. While I obviously don’t believe there’s anything wrong with having a short attention span, there are some tasks that really require us to take control of our minds and focus for a while.

The objective of mindfulness is to be aware of the present moment, observing thoughts non-judgmentally without becoming too absorbed in them. There’s no need to flog yourself for getting distracted briefly. With practice, it becomes easier and easier to use awareness to return to the present moment and the task at hand.

When we practice mindfulness, we actually change the structure of our brains. Mindfulness meditation increases the thickness of the prefrontal cortex and parietal lobes both responsible for attention control. By making this practice a regular part of my daily routine, I’ve noticed a new ability to quickly get back on track when I feel distracted.

Make sure your body has what it needs

I can’t count the number of times I’ve woken up, drank some coffee, and sat in front of my laptop fruitlessly until noon wondering why it feels like I’ve done nothing. Then, my stomach growls ferociously. I often fail to recognize the importance of feeding my brain with enough quality food, rest, and water.

A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, adequate water intake, seven to nine hours of sleep each night, and aerobic exercise will equip you with a healthy brain that’s ready to make use of your talents. I’ve noticed that most of my unproductive days are caused by unpleasant physical sensations that inhibit my ability to stay creative and alert enough to work towards my goals.

Give yourself lots of time

Deadlines are a dreaded reality for most of us. Having a short attention span and needing to take breaks more frequently can mean that it takes longer to complete certain tasks. By making a realistic time management plan early on in your projects, you can avoid the stress of cramming and the devastation of less than amazing results.

If possible, don’t try to complete an endeavor on someone else’s timeline. If you know you’ll need three full days at the library to complete that essay, time your work sessions accordingly instead of writing it the night before and depriving yourself of the freedom to let your mind wander to stimulating, inspiring places.

You’ve probably been told to hunker down and focus for your whole life. Though it might take some more discipline and mindfulness to get your work done, your short attention span is an advantage, and treating it that way will bolster your ability to produce the outcomes you want.

In my experience, trying to conform to the traditional model of work-life has been extremely detrimental to my productivity. I used to try to sit still for hours and torture myself when I failed to make that work for me. Now I doodle in my notebooks and walk around simultaneously talking to myself about all the possibilities for my vision. I manage to balance productivity with love for my work and anyone can do the same.