This 30-Minute Activity Could Help Bring Your Attention Span Back

You might’ve heard the claim that the modern adult’s attention span is eight seconds long, similar to that of a goldfish. 

This, King’s College London stated, is thankfully untrue. But in 2022, 49% of UK adults said they’d noticed their attention span shrinking.

That’s before the mass adoption of AI, which some researchers think could contribute to “shorter attention spans and reduced ability to concentrate for extended periods”.

Which begs the question: what can you do to feel more satisfied with your attention span if you’re one of the 49%? 

One method, Stacey Nye, a clinical psychologist at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, told AP, takes just half an hour a day.

Give your brain “active breaks” 

“Active breaks” from stimuli like screens and work could help to retrain your brain in as little as 30 minutes, Nye said. 

These breaks can take the form of crafting, moving to another room for lunch, meditating, doing puzzles, or walking.

The point, AP explained, is to complete a “physical or mental” activity that doesn’t involve a screen.

Neuropsychologist Kim Willment agreed with this time frame.

She told Harvard Health that trying a single-focus task, like reading, for half an hour, can help your mind relearn how to pay attention. 

“Read something for 30 minutes, setting a timer to go off every five minutes. When it goes off, ask yourself if your mind has wandered. If so, just refocus on what you’re reading,” she added.

“By training your brain to monitor if your mind is wandering, you strengthen the monitoring process and the ability to maintain focus on a single task.”

Brain breaks may have benefits for children, too

The Government of New South Wales describes “brain breaks” as a great way to strengthen cognitive abilities in the classroom. 

They recommend kids try techniques like balancing a book on their heads or flipping and catching pens to help ”[increase] the oxygen in the bloodstream which leads to improved concentration”.

If “brain breaks” don’t sound like your thing, though, fear not: morning walks, eating enough protein, and even tidying up your workplace could help too. 

The NHS says that sleep and a balanced diet are also key to a better attention span.