Why is my attention span getting shorter and what weird tricks actually fix it?

Do binaural beats really work for focus or is it just a placebo?

Stop doom-scrolling and start focusing with 6 science-backed hacks from Sophie Freeman. Discover how binaural beats, “yoga nidra,” and painting your office blue can rewire your brain for deep work and productivity. Read the full guide below to learn why your brain loves interruptions and which unconventional method—from martial arts to circadian alignment—will finally help you get things done.

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Do you feel like your attention span is slipping through your fingers? Are you tired of trite self-help advice — turn off social media notifications, lock your cellphone in a drawer, get more sleep — for increasing focus? Science writer Sophie Freeman has delved into the most recent scientific literature on focus and amalgamated a list of offbeat tips you can try to sharpen your focus and attention. If mindfulness and journaling aren’t helping you home in on your goals, try Freeman’s unconventional suggestions for size.

Take-Aways

• Human attention spans are decreasing as screens, smartphones, and social media become more ingrained in daily life.
• Listen to “binaural beats” to elevate your focus.
• Align your workload with your circadian rhythm.
• Practice yoga nidra, which encourages the brain to enter a sleep-like state of consciousness.
• Work in rooms painted in cooler hues.
• Take a martial arts class.
• Visualize the impact your actions today have on your future self.

Summary

Human attention spans are decreasing as screens, smartphones, and social media become more ingrained in daily life.

According to research by Gloria Mark of the University of California, Irvine, published in 2023, the average human attention span is a mere 47 seconds, down from 2.5 minutes in 2004, before the launch of smartphones. A study by the Centre for Attention Studies at King’s College London found that almost 50% of people have a gnawing feeling that their attention span is dwindling. You can try a range of ways to rein in your attention, such as turning off your smartphone notifications or wearing noise-canceling headphones. However, the internal urge to check emails (77 times a day on average, according to one study) and social media (as many as 237 times a day for some) is constant. People have become so accustomed to interruptions that they reflexively disrupt an activity to go online. Knowing that a world of information resides at your fingertips heightens the temptation to connect to the online world.

“A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.” (psychologist Herbert A. Simon)

Is there an unexpected upside to a shortened attention span, such as a heightened ability to multitask? Alas, no. When people think they are multitasking, they are merely shifting focus rapidly between several tasks, each of which could be completed more quickly if it were the sole focus of attention from start to finish. Multitasking also raises stress levels and dampens mood. So how can you lengthen your attention span and become more productive?

Listen to “binaural beats” to elevate your focus.

When you hear a different frequency, or pitch, in each ear simultaneously (usually by listening through headphones), the brain perceives a third tone, whose pitch is equivalent to the difference between the two tones being played. This auditory phenomenon is called a binaural beat. Lower-frequency sounds prompt the brain to mirror what it hears and emit lower-frequency brain waves. Studies have found that “alpha” binaural beats of 8–13Hz can improve your attention span, keeping your brain alert yet relaxed.

Align your workload with your circadian rhythm.

Execute high-intensity work during the times of the day when your concentration level is at its highest. On average, those times fall at about 10 a.m. and between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. If you’re an early riser, your peak concentration times likely occur earlier; if you’re a night owl, later. Keep a diary for a week to determine when your concentration peaks and falls. Jot down your focus and engagement levels every half an hour. You’ll soon notice a pattern emerging. You’ll likely find that your focus is sharpest after a good night’s sleep.

Practice yoga nidra, which encourages the brain to enter a sleep-like state of consciousness.

Yoga nidra is often referred to as “non-sleep deep rest.” Practitioners claim that the meditation technique increases focus, because yoga nidra promotes slow-wave brain activity, creating a detox effect through the glymphatic system, or “the waste-management system of the brain.” Yoga nidra also lowers heart rate and blood pressure. The meditation guides supine practitioners through various breathing exercises and mental imagery. You can find and follow various yoga nidra meditations online.

Work in rooms painted in cooler hues.

A study at the Technical University of Valencia found that subjects’ attention spans were lower when they performed tasks in rooms painted in warm tones (reds and oranges) than in cooler tones (greens and blues). Meanwhile, studies at the Lund Institute of Technology and the University of Nevada confirmed that children who learn in classrooms with white walls find it more difficult to focus.

Take a martial arts class.

Researchers at Bangor University discovered that people who practice martial arts enjoy the long-term benefit of heightened focus. Martial arts training fosters a focused state of mind, a skill that permeates all areas of life beyond the dojo. Martial artists exhibit particularly high levels of alertness, and they respond rapidly to unanticipated crises.

Visualize the impact your actions today have on your future self.

Begin work each morning by visualizing your evening. Imagine feeling satisfied after a productive day at work and enjoying time with family or friends. This exercise will help you kick the habit of scrolling mindlessly through social media, because you have set a clear end-of-day goal.

“If you’re simply looking to focus in the present moment, it’s best to start your day by imagining how you want to feel at its end.”

Similarly, thinking about your future self might make you more inclined to save for your retirement or eat healthier foods.

About the Author

Sophie Freeman is a freelance journalist who writes about science, psychology and human behavior.