Focus and attention

Articles, Films and practical Guides on focus and attention, part of Psyche’s coverage of self-knowledge and personal growth.
Photo of a flounder underwater, lying on a sandy seafloor with seaweed, showing its eyes pointing upward.
NATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Snorkelling taught me stillness

Snorkelling at an unassuming beach sharpened my attention to detail, revealing the tiny spectacles unfolding beneath me

by Natalie Bühler

Close-up photo of a woman in a beige top with hand on neck showing her back and shoulder against a light blue background.
DANCE

The relentless work behind the poise of a world-class dancer

Directed by Veronika Pokoptceva

Close-up video of a bicycle gear cassette with chain in movement, showing detailed metal texture and mechanical design.
FOCUS AND ATTENTION
9

No, willpower isn’t a muscle – here’s a better way to think of it

The muscle metaphor based on ego-depletion theory hasn’t survived scrutiny. But there’s an alternative that holds promise

by Alberto De Luca

Black and white photo of a person with long hair reflected in glass talking on a mobile phone in an urban setting.
LOVE
3

Why being ghosted is inevitable and being a ghoster is too

Being ghosted can feel shocking. But we need to get used to it because there’s no other way to cope with our world

by Dominic Pettman

A smartphone with app icons visible inside an open wooden drawer with red cables partially visible.
TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA
1

Curious about a digital ‘detox’? Here’s what you should know

For many who are chronically connected, a break from tech sounds appealing. Research is uncovering when and how it helps

by Kostadin Kushlev

A painting on a wall with a man in a suit standing in profile beside a doorway in an art gallery.
FOCUS AND ATTENTION

Embrace the monotony

A museum guard’s tale of long, slow hours on the job changed how I think about seemingly empty stretches of time

by Hannah Seo

Photo of a boxing match with a standing boxer in the ring and an opponent kneeling behind, lit by overhead lights.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

Motivation is good, but discipline is better

The Ukrainian boxing champion Usyk’s recent claim that ‘discipline is better than motivation’ was psychologically astute

by Christian Jarrett

Illustration of a person with eyes closed, surrounded by colourful waves and geometric shapes on an orange background.
ANXIETY

Stressed about a date or an interview? Video games may offer a surprising salve

Video by the University of California

A woman inside wearing sunglasses, with a blurred reflection of people and a red bus moving outside the window.
ADHD
3

How to thrive as an adult with ADHD

Use ‘mindful self-coaching’ to help yourself overcome everyday ADHD challenges, from procrastination to feelings of overwhelm

by Lidia Zylowska & Joohee Seo

A switched-off smartphone on a bright yellow surface with fingerprints and smudges on the black screen.
TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA
3

A brief escape from social media

After leaving my phone behind for a week and coming back to it, I saw my social media use in a stark new light

by Tamur Qutab

A person using a smartphone, with focus on their finger scrolling the screen. Face partially visible.
ADHD
3

In an era of split attention, there is more than one type of ADHD

ADHD is typically thought to be wired into the brain early. But many cases may be better seen as products of digital life

by Paul Kudlow, Karline Treurnicht Naylor & Elia Abi-Jaoude

A man in a tweed jacket viewing a framed German wanted poster on a wall in a museum or gallery setting.
FOCUS AND ATTENTION

The eerie phenomenon that keeps popping up

Ever feel like a word or person you just learned about has been showing up repeatedly? There’s a term for that

by Hannah Seo

A couple dancing on stage, the photo focusing on their feet and shadows, with dramatic lighting and a blue spotlight.
DANCE

Dance showed me the untapped power of our attention muscle

Through tango, I sharpened attentional skills that make any moment richer. But these can be honed on or off the dancefloor

by Sara Melzer

Page from a book with printed text about society and handwritten notes in the margin, including ’True but only in part‘.
FOCUS AND ATTENTION

The value of scribbling in the margins

Marginalia is far from inessential. It would be a shame if it died off in the digital age

by Richard Fisher

A young boy smiling, resting his chin on his hands, looking at a marshmallow on a table.
FOCUS AND ATTENTION

What the marshmallow test got wrong about child psychology

Self-control, grit, growth mindset – trendy skills won’t transform children’s lives, but more meaningful interventions can

by Tyler W Watts

Photo of uniformed men standing outside portable toilets, one gestures invitingly.
FOCUS AND ATTENTION

Does progress seem slower when you constantly check on it?

Research on how we perceive the rate of change shows how you can be strategic about goal tracking and boost your motivation

by André Vaz