The second way that our attention is limited is that after focusing on something, we can hold only a small amount of information in our short-term memory.

The second way that our attention is limited is that after focusing on something, we can hold only a small amount of information in our short-term memory.

PUT YOUR PHONE OUT OF SIGHT When your mind is even slightly resisting a task, it will look for more novel things to focus on. Our smartphones are a great example—they provide an endless stream of bite-sized, delicious information for our brains to consume.

such busyness is just an active form of laziness when it doesn’t lead to actually accomplishing anything.

Your focus determines your reality. —Qui-Gon Jinn, Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Studies show we can work for an average of just forty seconds in front of a computer before we’re either distracted or interrupted. (Needless to say, we do our best work when we attend to a task for a lot longer than forty seconds.)

Maintaining a distractions list as you read will capture the important things that float to the surface of your consciousness. Writing them down to make sure they don’t slip through the cracks will let you refocus on the task at hand.

but extracting the meaning of what you’re hearing is the best use of your focus.

Without selective interest, experience is utter chaos. —William James Your focus determines your reality. —Qui-Gon Jinn, Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace