Re: Improving Concentration

Anders Sandberg (asa@nada.kth.se)
16 May 1998 20:58:28 +0200


Michael Lee Bowling <mlbowli1@iupui.edu> writes:

> I need to get more out the time I spend working on this and that. Can
> anyone suggest rescources/techniques for improving concentration on the
> task at hand?

A good question, I look forward to hear what others respond with.

I think a valuable method is to minimize real distractions. With real
distractions I mean everything that makes you switch task - a small
irritating sound isn't necessarily a real distraction, but the
presence of another task (like answering email :-) that promises some
reward or fulfills a duty will incite you to switch task when your
concentration falters a bit. The solution is to place yourself in
situations where there are few other tasks possible. For example, I
often read research papers on the bus or trains, since there are no
other interesting tasks to do and the environment can be tuned
out. Reading them at home is much harder, there is too much to do.

I'm starting to think that windowing and multitasking is bad for my
concentration, they promote having dozens of tasks in the air at once
and hence disrupt my concentration.

-- 
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Anders Sandberg                                      Towards Ascension!
asa@nada.kth.se                            http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/
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