The attention span of a goldfish is nine seconds. That beats the average human, who only has an attention span of 8 seconds.
And it is shrinking.
In 2000 the average human attention span was twelve seconds. That means that it has decreased by 25% in less than 25 years.
Scary!
But not something we have to accept! We may not be able to change statistics on a big scale, but we are fully capable of helping ourselves and our kids!
I think back and remember how many times I told my kids to “pay attention” and “you need to focus,” but I never taught them how.
Yes. I taught them how to read, and we read together as a family. We focused on things we loved. They did art and music and sports. All good things.
But I didn’t specifically teach them how to focus.
When we are doing things that we love, it is easier to focus. But what about when we have to do something we don’t want to do or have little interest in? How do we maintain focus?
I know having someone yell, “PAY ATTENTION!” doesn’t help.
I read a lot of self-help books meant for business people. There seem to be tons of research that is being shared with adults that need to be implemented in schools! In almost every book/course I read, the author laments that “this should be taught in school.”
So let’s start now!
Here are a few tips that I’ve found in my research that can help with attention span:
- Sleep. We all need more sleep. HERE are the CDC’s suggestions by age.
- Meditation. Meditation is all about focus. Take the time to teach your kids about it and then practice it regularly. There are several books and YouTube videos out there to help. This doesn’t have to be a spiritual thing (unless you want it to be!)
- Nature. Without screens. There are doctors that are prescribing nature for their patients to reduce stress. In Japan, they call it “forest bathing.” We need more time away from screens and in nature. And the cool thing about this is it includes exercise – another thing that helps our attention span!
- Breaks. It seems counterintuitive, but it works. By taking breaks, you increase your mental stamina. The Pomodoro Technique is a good way to share it with your kids. It has you work in 25-minute increments and then take a 5-minute break. I prefer doing 50/10 for myself but see what works for you and your family.
Do you have anything that has worked well in teaching your kids to focus? I’d love to know!
And remember. This is one of those situations where you need to “put on the air mask first.” You need to be able to focus on making sure you are there for your kids!