The challenges of staying focused in a distracting environment

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I recently had a catch-up with a close friend at a bookstore coffee shop. Despite the distractions of music, food, and announcements, my goal was to engage and be supportive. What happens in our brain when we filter out distractions? Does age affect this process? It's not a passive act of ignoring, but rather an active one. The scientific view used to be that focusing more meant ignoring more, but is that really true?

How do you focus a distracted mind?

Attention and focus come up a lot in the Kwik Brain community. In the world of dings and pings, staying on task can become increasingly difficult, especially when your to-do list is a mile long. But attention exists to help you not only survive, but to thrive—if it’s trained.

To go in-depth on this topic, I’m thrilled to have Dr. Adam Gazzaley, M.D., Ph.D. on our show today. Dr. Gazzaley is the David Dolby Distinguished Professor of Neurology, Physiology, and Psychiatry at UCSF. He’s the founder of Neuroscape, host of a national PBS show, and the co-author of The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World.

It’s impossible to put all of your focus everywhere at the same time. That’s simply not how the brain works. But being able to ignore certain stimuli isn’t a process that comes naturally. You have to learn how to direct where your attention goes. If you’ve been struggling with how to concentrate, focus, and minimize distractions in your daily life, this episode is for you.

***If you’re inspired, I want to invite you to join me in my brand NEW 10-day course, specifically designed to boost your productivity. I know it sounds too good to be true, but I give you step-by-step guides using the accelerated learning model to help you get more done and achieve your goals. Visit http://kwikbrain.com/productivity to join me today.***

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