Attention

Attention is sometimes described as a spotlight, focusing your awareness on a subset of what's going on, whether in your head or in your environment. Some people have more control over it than others, and everyone has more control in certain situations (free of distractions) and on certain drugs (stimulants such as coffee and ritalin.) Not being able to pay attention leads to a state worse than death: boredom.

Paying Attention

Mastering Your Own Mind

Become a high-performance user of your own brain.

by Katherine Ellison

Mindfulness Meditation: Thoughts on paying attention

Want to defeat procrastination? Pay attention.

by Timothy A. Pychyl, Ph.D. in Don't Delay

Expertise: Creatures of Habit

Know-how gets you in—and out—of ruts.

by Matthew Hutson

Addiction: Pay Attention

Drink and drugs may be a matter of attention gone awry.

by Kathleen McGowan

Oh Say, Can You See?

Talented people pay heightened attention to the world.

by Michele and Robert Root-Bernstein in Imagine That!

See Also

ADHD

ADHD: Always on the Go

Warning signs for attention deficit disorder.

by Lybi Ma

ADHD: Diagnosis Dilemma

Who has adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?

by Willow Lawson

Retraining the ADHD Brain

Teaching your distracted brain to perform.

by G. Frank Lawlis, Ph.D. in Redefining Stress

See Also

Mind Wandering

Devoted to Distraction

It's ok to let your mind wander.

by Josie Glausiusz

What's Your Attitude Toward Daydreaming?

It's time to rethink old-school attitudes toward daydreaming.

by Amy Fries in The Power of Daydreaming

Drunk and Drifting: How Alcohol Affects Mind Wandering

You're the last to know when you're impaired.

by Art Markman, Ph.D. in Ulterior Motives

Schizophrenic Thought: Madness or Potential for Genius?

How the schizophrenic mind may provide clues to creativity

by Scott Barry Kaufman, Ph.D. in Beautiful Minds

See Also

Attention Tests

Attention

Can't concentrate? Learn how to focus your attention.
Attention Span Test

Do you focus on a task or zone out?
Concentration

Can you focus on the task at hand?
More Tests

The Latest on Attention

Work and daydreaming really do go together...honest! by Amy Fries
Turn Challenge into Positive Growth by Angie LeVan
Ace your college classes. by Joseph Cardillo
Daydreams can help you keep resolutions alive all year by Amy Fries
Mistakenly believing in a false sense of ourselves causes problems by Karen Kissel Wegela, Ph.D.
Holiday music game your kids can play while you drive. by Joseph Cardillo
We can focus amid Tiger Woods and Facebook. Not everyone can. by Jonathan Levy
5 flow tips for parents and teachers. by Joseph Cardillo
A different look at what children can do with focus. by Joseph Cardillo
Improving focus can be as close as your favorite song. by Joseph Cardillo

Attention Blogs

  • Joseph Cardillo

    Attention Training

    How to Think Fast, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Concentration
    By Joseph Cardillo
  • Shane Perrault, Ph.D.

    Entrepreneurs with ADHD

    How leaders (and aspiring leaders) with ADHD can harness their creativity and increase their productivity.
    By Shane Perrault, Ph.D.
  • Amy Fries

    The Power of Daydreaming

    Wake Your Creative Abilities
    By Amy Fries

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