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Rewire Your Brain to Focus Better (Scientifically)(In class)

We are living in a fast world. We want fast cars, fast internet, fast connectivity, fast dating — everything travelling at the speed of light. It’s like the more we move ahead with technology the more we move backwards in terms of creativity.

Nowadays people are used to adapt to fast society. Many want higher speed of traffic, internet, communications and love-relationship – everything proceedings at the speed of light. It sounds that more achievements we get in technology, less creativity we have.

Generations ago people used to go to libraries and search through books to look for the right answer but then our generation was introduced to the world of the internet. It was a bizarre thought for the earlier generation — that we could now type the answer and have hundreds of sources right in front of us.

People of earlier generations find answers by books in libraries but current generation can use internet to view the whole world. Now we can just find the answers by typing some words, it is strange for the last generation.

But what now? The upcoming generation (and even us) do not even have to scout through sources. Thanks to hundreds of AI we have an ‘easier’ life. Homework gets done in seconds, we do not have to sit through a 1-hour lecture because there is software that can summarise a 1-hour lecture into bullet points. Have we really stopped using our brains?

But what now? Whoever future generation or us, do not need to make out information through ourselves. Base on the hundreds of AI, we live easier. Homework can be finished in seconds and we do not need to keep attention to a lecture for 1 hour, too many softwares can be great waiters to summarise it as bullet points for us. Whether people need to think in this society or not?

2-sec attention span

Have you checked your screen time lately? Why do you think short-form content is king right now? Because it thrives on the short attention span people have nowadays. We used to have 3 hours of movies spanning across 2 intervals and now we have short 1 hour 18 min movie because everyone has a quick conclusion.

Have you tried to know how long you use your phone recently? Have you ever thought why short-video like Tiktok is the most popular today? The reason is that longstanding attention is not common today. The 3 hours movies are common in the past with 2 halftime and the movie we watch today can be around one and a half hour, just because everyone wants a quick conclusion.
三分之二，two thirds；xxx.com = xxx dot com

Every ping, every notification, every endless scroll is a tiny theft — stealing fragments（碎片的） of your potential, your creativity, your very essence. But what if I told you that reclaiming your focus isn’t about fighting harder, but about understanding deeper?

Each ping, each notification, each endless Tiktok time as a tiny theft to steal people’s potential, creativity and heart into fragments, just like how the Tiktok videos are. Will you believe that people can rebuild their own focus without doing more hard but think deeply?

The Neuroscience of Attention

Our brains aren’t broken — they just work the way we want them to work; and if left unfocused for a long amount of time they tend to rust. Brains are beautifully complex systems constantly adapting to an environment that’s changing faster than ever before. Neuroscientists have discovered something profound: focus isn’t a muscle to be forcefully flexed, but a soft ecosystem to be nurtured.

Human’s brain works like water, it just flows follow the riverbed into a river. It is not broken if you lost your attention, but it can be rust if you unfocused for a long time. Fast world means changing fast, but human’s brain which is complex can adapt it continuously. Brain likes a soft ecosystem which can be artificially nurtured, but it is not like a simple muscle which does the same thing everyday.

Don’t believe me? Here are some stats-

8 seconds: The average human attention span in 2024 (shorter than a goldfish’s attention span of 9 seconds)

Many know that goldfish’s attention span is very short of 9 seconds only, but many don’t know that the average human attention span is 8 seconds even less.

138 times: The number of times people check their phones daily

People who usually check their phones may don’t know that the average times they use are 138 times.

47%: Productivity lost due to constant digital interruptions

People lost their product efficiency just because keep phones, laptops or other digitals near them.

Brain’s Default Mode Network

Neuroscientists have uncovered a fascinating neural mechanism that offers hope: the Default Mode Network (DMN). Contrary to traditional productivity narratives that berate mental wandering, the DMN reveals that occasional daydreaming isn’t just normal — it’s essential.

Neuroscientists have discovered a mechanism which is charming and hopeful: the Default Mode Network (DMN). Compared with the productivity method in the past that don’t call for mental wandering, the DMN proved that daydreaming is important and not just common, if people do it once in while.

Earlier when one would feel unproductive the only suggestions we got were “Work harder, make lists, go to gym etc” It was always about work. But let me ask you one thing — when you were the most tired and the ideas just didn’t come to your mind, didn’t you want to just close your eyes and rest? I even found it better to plug in some music and sing karaoke, or just go for a short walk. Basically — all I wanted to do was an activity that didn’t require using much of my brain.

Have you ever heard of “work harder” or “make lists” or any other suggestion about working only when you want higher product efficiency. In contrast, a frequent preference when people feel tired and have no idea is to find a comfortable place to take rest. Or here is a better way that is to do an activity that requires no thinking, such as hanging out, watching TV or something else.

Dr. Marcus Raichle, a neurologist, discovered that the DMN activates during periods of apparent mental rest, c,onnecting brain regions and facilitating creative problem-solving. When we allow our minds to drift, we’re not being unproductive; we’re engaging in a sophisticated cognitive process of integration and innovation. So here are:

Dr. Marcus Raichle, a neurologist found that creative is promoted by DMN which connecting brain regions during the periods of mental rest. It proves that minds’ drift is a kind of cognitive integration and innovation but people do not being unproductive. So here are:

7 Scientifically-Backed Strategies to Resurrect Your Focus

1. Meditation as Mental Reconstruction

A groundbreaking study from Harvard Medical School revealed that just 8 weeks of consistent meditation can physically restructure brain regions responsible for self-regulation and focus.

A new study shows that people can rebuild their self-regulation and focus by physically rebuilding their brain regions. Harvard Medical School found that a ~~resultful~~ e method to rebuild it is meditation.

All you have to do is start with 5 min of meditation. You can do it in the morning, or in the night — when you feel the most comfortable.

5 min of meditation is enough. Whenever you want to do it in the morning or in the evening, the important is that you need to do it at when you feel the most comfortable.

You can even use online platforms like Headspace and focus on breath-centred practices. The main idea is to be consistent.

If you want, you can do it with the help of online platforms, such as Headspace and focus on breath-centred practices. The important part is keep.

Meditation increases grey matter density in the prefrontal cortex which in terms enhances brain functions and emotional regulation.

Meditation can enhances brain functions and emotional regulation by physically increased grey matter density in the prefrontal cortex.

2. Move Your Body

Exercise isn’t just physical — it’s like a fertilizer for your brain. A landmark study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences demonstrated that exercise increases hippocampus volume, directly improving memory and learning capabilities.

Material can determine mind, it mean that your memory and learning abilities can be enhanced by increasing hippocampus volume by exercising.

You can start with 30 min of exercise however you are comfortable. It can be Yoga, Gym, Dancing or just going for a job.

You can start with any exercise you like, such as Yoga, Gym, Dancing or do same job, if you can keep it more than 20 min.

Regular exercise can improve focus by up to 29% helping you stay focused.

3. The Sleep Revolution

The brain doesn’t shut down during sleep — it performs critical maintenance. During deep sleep, your brain clears toxic proteins, consolidates memories, and rebalances neurotransmitter systems. That is why it is not just important to have a long sleep — but to have a healthy sleep

学到这里（Jun 19）（前面的丢失了，网络不好保存失败，以后记得，每两秒钟按一次保存。）

Healthy sleep is more important than long sleep, because sleep time is the critical time for brain maintenance. People’s brain would clears toxic proteins, consolidates memories and rebalances neurotransmitter systems during sleep.
reword 不可以删去原文要表达的意思

You should maintain a consistent sleep schedule. I know this is not possible for a lot of people who either have academic or jobs or just a ton of work to do — but try to be consistent with your sleeping time. Create a dark, cool sleeping environment — maybe put in some music. Most importantly — limit screen time to 2 hours before bedtime!

Try to keep a sleep schedule, create a both dark and cool sleeping environment and do not use any device with screen 2 hours before you sleep. I know that it is impossible for many who have a job or academic program, but try to keep sleep schedule as possible as you can do.

Proper sleep can improve cognitive performance and enhance focus and decision-making abilities.

4. Digital Detox

Constant digital stimulation disrupts your attention and increases stress. A University of California study found that even brief digital interruptions can increase error rates by 27% in cognitive tasks performed by you._{-回去重写}

Digital is a critical stimulation for your cognitive tasks and attention, it even increase your stress. ~~A University of California study gave the exact data which is 27% in short-time for digital interruptions.~~

But I agree, in a world where most of our jobs and tasks require us to have a digital device it can be difficult to restrict the content we consume. So here is what I do

I know that it is too hard to limit the digital usage, this society is full of the digital that is like rain water in any corner whether you can see or not. So here is what I do.

– When I sit for my work, I do not keep my phone near me. I still get to know about calls and any urgent texts but I refrain from having my phone near me

I keep my phone away from myself during work time, which can help me to reduce the disturb of outside calls and urgent texts.
逗号后面用以which引导的非限制性定语从句

– Practice intentional disconnection. I realised I was consuming way too much content when even while watching a movie I would get the urge to doom scroll.

Try to keep away from doom scroll, I realised that I scroll too many short-form video when even while enjoy other digital I would have impulsion to do it.
much 不可数（液体、财富）
many 可数

– Create daily tech-free windows

5. Feeding Your Focus

Your diet directly influences neurotransmitter production and brain plasticity. For example, after eating a heavy heavy meal you would get the urge to sleep. What you eat heavily reflects your brain functions.

Diet can affect people’s brain directly, such as somebody feel sleepy after have a heavily meal. It mean that your brain unctions can be reflected by your diet.
动作用 Affect，结果用 Effect，
强力冲击 Impact，潜移默化 Influence！

Fill your diet with Omega-3-rich foods (salmon, walnuts) and antioxidant-dense berries. While you might have already heard it a million times hydration is important drink at least a minimum of 8 glasses daily. If you’re like me and you forget to keep a tab — just have a big bottle that measures 1L and make sure to finish that bottle of water daily.

Hydration, Omega-3-rich foods and antioxidant-dense berries. Here are 3 key words of how to feed your focus. People should drink more than 8 glasses each day and if you always forget it, you can buy a big bottle which measures 1L to ensure that you can finish your daily drink water job.

6. The Pomodoro Technique

Our brains operate best in focused bursts followed by recovery periods. It’s like instead of forcing yourself to work, you work till your brain allows you to work, and then take a break so that your brain can breathe.

In simple terms, you should do your work when your brain allows you to ~~do that~~. The reason is that your brain can do it well when you have enough energy. On the other hand, you should give your brain some time to breathe and break.

First, have a work session — and I do not mean a small sent 5 emails and checking the phone thrice work session but an intense work session where you get a lot of work done. After you feel tired — take a break so that you do not feel worked up.

In actual situations, you should own a hard work session to finish a lot of job and take a break after you feel tired. Do not just sent 5 emails or check 2 projects and tell yourself that I need to take a break and it is Pomodoro Technique.

This method increases work efficiency and reduces mental fatigue.

7. Let Yourself be Bored

Dr. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, a prominent neuroscientist, discovered that during seemingly “idle” moments, our brains are actually performing critical neural maintenance. This is when:

·Memories get consolidated

·Emotional experiences are processed

·Complex problem-solving connections are formed

So maybe feeling bored and not doing anything about it can be a good thing? A fascinating study in the Academy of Management Discoveries found that individuals who regularly give in to “boredom breaks” reported a 42% increase in problem-solving and 35% improvement in strategic thinking

In summary, the result is that people who sometimes enjoy “boredom breaks” gets 42% increase in problem-solving and 35% in strategic think. It proves that feeling bored is not a bad thing.

Focus is all about your actions

Focus isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress. Each small, intentional step is a reclamation of your most fundamental human potential.

But remember ~~about~~ that do not pursue perfection in focus, which is about progress and human potential in each step.

Your mind is not a machine to be optimized, but a living, breathing ecosystem waiting to be understood, respected, and gently guided.

Your mind is not an individual soul and you can’t understand it as a machine. It more likes a child, you need to understand, respect and take care it.

Are you ready to begin?