I am thinking there are various types of attention disorder that can be seen in people besides that which can be medically diagnosed. I think I have a mild variation of ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity disorder). Something that is not so demanding that I cannot function in this dysfunctional society. This is something new for me as my life has been pretty much filled with the ability to compartmentalize and focus. I have been both high energy and high functioning in my past life but rarely hyper.
Why do I think I have trouble with attention. I can follow a conversation, a TV show or a recipe. I can focus. But I also find I sometimes have to re-focus on something else at the same time. I have a compulsion to be doing two things. I cannot exercise without some distraction to get me through the routine.
For example, as I am writing this blog I am listening to the NYT broadcast on my laptop "Will Shortz: Meet the Puzzle Master." It seems when I get distracted I have to fill the time with something other than a pause in thinking. I frequently play solitaire on my lap top while watching television, or if it is the depressing news which I watch with hubby, I go between listening to the world circus and listening to an online course from Harvard on photography on my laptop with my earphones. I may miss much of the news, but it is an ever present annoyance that pops up later in the day in so many ways. I also cook and watch television at the same time.
Currently I am reading all of the books in the photo below (not at the exact same time, of course) as well as also reading "Leaving Blythe River" on my Kindle. I have a dozen half read magazines scattered on my coffee table.
I certainly am losing my ability to focus for long periods of time on any one thing and I am just sitting and wondering if the aging process has something to do with that. My mother-in-law lost her ability to read a magazine and just flipped through the pages in her elder years. Maybe I should Google this phenomenon while I am doing the NYT mini crossword puzzle this morning?
I am wondering if meditation exercises will slow this restless mind? Are there other physical or mental exercises I should be doing...while not blogging, of course? Or is this just a normal personality disorder?
How is your attention span these days?
I think our culture encourages attention deficit conditions at varying levels as all the info is given in soundbites and moves so fast. We want to know something, there is no need to run to the library and search the card catalog-- it's at our fingertips. Frankly, it is a disturbing time or so I think with my prejudices firmly in place and being affirmed constantly-- by me ;)
ReplyDeleteI think meditation helps with the soul's flow, as in relaxes the way we approach the use of our energy.
ReplyDeleteAs for mind games to exercise the brain, I've tried many. The only one that I've experienced good results from is playing Jezzball.net. My hand and eye coordination and attention sharpness improved. I remember vaguely hearing diet also plays a part our attention health. Reading is a big help. However, no matter what I do, if I'm depressed, nothing much helps sharpen my mind.
I think I had ADD before it was invented, but it is getting even shorter, probably because there are so many distractions so easily available.
ReplyDeleteI am not now and never have been a multi-tacker. I have to concentrate on one thing at a time. I cannot stand to have the tv on while I am cooking or reading. I rarely listen to the radio except in the car. I guess I don't consider driving a focused activity! If I have to do something under time pressure, I fall apart.
ReplyDeleteThe only one of those books I've read is Meditations. I had to read it in my Latin class and I don't remember much.
ReplyDeleteIt is slow and deep. Not surprised.
DeleteMulti-tasking is a way of life, which is why i like to have a "feets up" every day and just do one thing, like read or do a crossword puzzle, no music, no distractions.
ReplyDeleteMeditation can be helpful, Tabor. It quiets the mind and creates inner peace. Worth a try.
ReplyDeleteI love having periods where I'm doing exactly nothing, and others where I try to focus on more than one thing at a time. I'm definitely changing as I grow older, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Good post, very thought provoking. :-)
ReplyDeleteMy brain needs to be busy. I was sewing today and it was too quiet, so I turned on talk radio. I am watching TV while I am blogging right now. Later, I will settle down to watch a couple of TV shows I really like, but if they lag, I'll be picking up my lap top of phone and checking stuff. I am not ADHD - i have worked with kids who are - but I am just cerebral - busy brained.
ReplyDeleteSounds to me as though you are getting easily bored! I have started about 8 books not to get all the way through them this year, but really have the same split attention thing going on.TV, computer cards, cleaning, sorting, cooking, n providing constant interrupts to everything I do. I am too pre occupied! Movies I focus on.
ReplyDeleteGood luck¡
I find walking sharpens all those ugly deficits. :)
ReplyDeleteOuch! That must be a bit frustrating. My son complains of the same thing though and still does great with his studies. Me on the other hand cannot concentrate on too many things at once which is why I disappear from visiting bloggers for a time as I have to give my complete focus on one thing because that's all my simple brain can handle.
ReplyDeleteYou poked yourself, and crowds responded. Me too. I wrote a whole entry on this, and got great validating responses. We are not alone. Walking helps me.
ReplyDeleteWhen I'm using the computer, as now, my attention is often re-directed to my TV screen -- in this case a PBS Mark Twain Prize tribute to a comedian, so I've been writing this comment for a good ten or fifteen minutes, just a few words at a time. I've really had quite enough of multi-tasking so mostly am down to only two or three things going at once if I can control it. I know time is of the essence at my age, but I also enjoy taking my good ol' time at whatever I'm doing though I can rise to a deadline pressure when I've sometimes performed at my best. Sounds like you don't really get that invested in any one thing whether it's due to boredom or chemical imbalance. As for brain exercises -- I think the most you can expect from them is to improve the skill of whatever the particular exercise, game, etc. that you are doing. Last I knew there has been no viable documented scientific evidence they carry over, generalize, or transfer to any other aspect of function in daily life.
ReplyDeleteOur culture is all about the sound byte. no wonder we all feel it a little harder to concentrate. It has to have an effect. I wonder, is our sound byte culture a result of defunding education and kids with no attention span or have our kids been trained to not be able to focus on something by our culture. I can still single mindedly focus on whatever project I am working on for hours at a time as I usually want to finish whatever I have started but TV does not hold my interest. I watch it and play solitaire or surf the internet. It's all the commercial breaks I think. When the show you are watching is broken up into 5 or 7 minute sections we are being trained to quit paying attention after 5 or 7 minutes.
ReplyDeleteYOu are absolutely right about that commercial break stuff. Although I do find I can sit through a good movie without looking at my watch.
DeleteMy brain is not right. I fantasize a real diagnosis but don't hold my breath. I have has partial simple psychic seizure and can't process when I'm tired. I do find that my attention span is minimal for anything that doesn't interest me, which can be read as rude at times, I'm guessing. I don't try to impose any way of being on myself but have a watchful awareness and interest in that. Joe would call it mindfulness.
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