Have we forgotten how to concentrate? - Times Online

Have we forgotten how to concentrate? - Times Online: "Have we forgotten how to concentrate?"

This is very relevant.. and it took me a while to find it on the timeswebsite.. it will be interesting to see if the link still works after the paywall comes up.

meanwhile, I just tweeted today about trigger happy blackberry fingers. and I remembered the article above ..

some of the tips copied below:

PAY ATTENTION NOW

Practice the five-more rule Force yourself to read for five more minutes, write for five more minutes or learn five more things before getting distracted.

Exercise Mental activities such as sudoku and memory games promote agility. Try meditation, t’ai chi and yoga.

Rest Relax constructively: sports, games and hobbies are good; television is not. Twenty-minute naps refresh the brain.

Be cyber-savvy Only check your emails once an hour and turn off any alerts.

Go rustic Urban settings put you on high alert. If you can’t take a country walk, take lunch in the park.

Know yourself Find your chronotype (are you an owl or a lark?), so you can work when you’re most alert.

Prepare Envisage your desired outcome (as golfers do); keep a notepad to hand to record other thoughts and focus on the task.

Don't try harder, try differently To beat a mental block, pique your interest — tweak your imagination, find your hook.