Improving Concentration in a World Full of Distraction
Stefan van der Stigchel
Attention expert and cognitive psychologist Stefan van der Stigchel helps you to emerge victorious from the battle for your attention. He shows how concentration works, makes clear how we sometimes misuse our working memory and explains the latest scientific insights. But above all, he teaches techniques that allow you to maintain your concentration for longer, both while working from home and at the office. Stefan van der Stigchel is a professor in Cognitive Psychology at the department of Experimental Psychology at Utrecht University and principal investigator of the research group AttentionLab.
- Recording: Yes
- Language: English, Dutch
- Duration: 45 min / 15 min
Session Summary
Emails, apps, banners, push notifications, trending topics and cat videos – today it's harder than ever to concentrate for more than a few minutes at a time. Is that a problem? Yes, because concentration is indispensable to be able to work creatively and productively. Time for science to come up with answers. In this interactive session, Stefan teaches you how to increase concentration while working hybrid.
Interaction
During the expert session, Stefan engages the audience through a Q&A session, live demonstrations of productivity techniques, and interactive exercises using the Mentimeter app. He shares insights into improving focus and productivity by taking breaks, engaging in mindfulness meditation, and creating healthy habits while acknowledging individual differences. The audience learns about various productivity strategies, such as background noise and music, and the importance of collaboration and conversations with colleagues. Stefan also emphasizes the role of good nutrition and cautions against excessive use of caffeine.
Key Learnings
- Boosting Your Focus: Understanding how background noise and music can enhance concentration is essential, but individual differences play a significant role in what works best for each person.
- Effective Break Strategies: Taking regular breaks throughout the day is crucial to maintain focus and productivity, with activities such as walking or engaging in mindless tasks allowing the brain to recharge.
- Productivity without Multitasking: Avoiding multitasking and instead focusing on one task at a time leads to increased productivity and improved overall focus and performance.
- Collaborative Work Environment: Engaging in conversations with colleagues about working together in the office setting fosters teamwork, creativity, and enhanced problem-solving abilities.
- Nurturing a Healthy Lifestyle: Proper nutrition, exercise, and limiting caffeine intake are all essential aspects of maintaining an optimal brain function for peak focus and productivity.
Detailed session description
In this expert session, Stefan Van Der Stigchel discusses the significance of attention and concentration in our daily lives and how modern technologies have influenced these cognitive abilities. He explains that our working memory, which is responsible for carrying out complex tasks and relying on sustained focus, can only handle one thing at a time and is easily disrupted by distractions and interruptions. Moreover, motivation plays an essential role in maintaining focus, and individual differences exist regarding people's ability to concentrate.
Stefan expresses skepticism towards the popular claim that today's generation has shorter attention spans than before, emphasizing the need to understand the underlying mechanisms of concentration and learning techniques to improve our focus. He highlights the importance of recognizing the impact of technology on our capacity for sustained attention and suggests practicing mindfulness meditation as a helpful tool to enhance focus.
Transitioning to the current context, Stefan discusses the challenges of maintaining productivity and focus during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly while working from home. He advises creating clear boundaries between work and personal life, taking breaks throughout the day for physical activity or engaging in activities with minimal focus, and setting aside dedicated time for focused work to minimize distractions and improve concentration.
Stefan also shares historical examples of influential figures such as Darwin, Beethoven, and Beeson, who had unique habits and routines that contributed to their success and creativity. He recommends practicing mindfulness meditation during breaks, engaging in activities with minimal focus during downtime, creating healthy habits, avoiding multitasking, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle to boost overall productivity and focus.
In summary, Stefan's insightful session sheds light on the importance of attention and concentration, both personally and professionally, and provides valuable context for understanding the challenges posed by modern technologies in this regard. He encourages learning techniques to improve focus, emphasizing individual differences, and shares practical advice on maintaining productivity while working from home.
Other Sessions by this Speaker
No other sessions available at this moment.
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