Caroline Williams’ article, “Concentrate! How to tame a wandering mind,” on the BBC website is worth trying to focus on. Williams writes that she has been dubbed a “butterfly brain” because she flits from thing to thing. In the article, she poignantly describes how her attention is quantified as “below average” and how she submitted to tests and lab procedures (including magnetic brain stimulation) in order to try and increase her concentration levels. She gives a flittingly brief synopsis of current brain science, and she relates how adult brain training is like physical training — if you don’t use it you lose it. She ends the article on an optimistic note — yes, a “butterfly brain” can be trained.
See how you rank by taking some of the on-line attention-measuring tests at www.testmybrain.org.
Check out the new app that is supposed to increase attention by 400% — thanks to music! Focus@will
Learn to “nudge” your mind from inattention back to attention by studying mindfulness. JHU offers meditation classes at https://benefits.jhu.edu/wellness/healthyliving.cfm
