Publish at May 21 2018 Updated May 25 2023
Focus. A seemingly simple act. To the outside eye, it doesn't seem difficult to focus attention on an object, a person or a course. But in reality, the individual can quickly tire. And forcing him to keep his gaze on an object will have little effect. He'll start rambling and find any element in his environment to distract him. In short, part of the art of concentration is finding the right balance to be effective. Something that requires a great deal of effort in an age of stimuli that shamelessly capture our attention.
The duration of concentration in humans is not as simple to determine as it might seem; it all depends on the experts consulted and their definition of concentration. You'll find a ton of answers on the Internet, but instead they're all summarized in this article. A World War II vigilance test of radar operators showed that after 30 minutes, they began to make mistakes. But is this really applicable today?
The Pomodoro technique says that the best cycle is 25 minutes of effort and a five-minute break. For its part, analysis of those using the Desktime app tends to prove that the most efficient work for an hour with 15-minute rest periods. Studies carried out on champions in their field (sport, music, etc.) show that they are able to keep up with intense periods of 1.5 hours. Finally, observation of the physiological cycle, although there is no scientific consensus, would affirm that the brain is capable of at least one and a half to two hours of concentration. In short, we could say that, on average, the period of sustained concentration would be one to two hours.
All right, but we still need to use it at times when it will be effective. For those who study, the best times are early morning (6am to 10am) and late afternoon (3pm to 8pm). Evenings can be useful for catching up, but it's best to avoid trying to memorize technical points. On the other hand, to memorize elements, doing so just before going to sleep can be healthy.
But what does a person who can't focus for at least an hour do? He first needs to see how long his concentration lasts at most, and then work on it. Because like any human mechanic, it can be improved with practice. Obviously, this depends on his age.
For children, asking them to concentrate for an hour to begin with seems unrealistic. It's better to propose work sessions of 20 to 40 minutes with 10-minute periods of relaxation. We need to show them that attention goes hand in hand with concentration. When they adopt a posture of openness, it becomes "easier" to focus on what their teacher is saying. We also need to help them eliminate negative self-talk about their skills, which can lead to a loss of attention. Other tricks can be the implementation ; of physical activity, for example, by offering seats like balloons (see flexible learning). Playing memory games can also help little ones focus.
For teenagers and mature students, there are many tricks to improve concentration. Here are examples of exercises you can do in your spare time. For example, on a public transport journey where an individual is listening to his music, he could try focusing solely on one instrument. He will do this several times for each instrument, in order to dissect the different arrangements. In a queue, another person could count backwards from 100 to 1 according to a precise rhythm without being distracted. Or they could look at their surroundings, try to reproduce them with their eyes closed, then open them again to see the details they missed. An exercise to be repeated until the mental image is clear.
As for classes, there are ways to motivate yourself beforehand to ensure greater attention. Consulting the lesson plan can help you understand the topics likely to be covered and their importance. During class, taking notes can keep you attentive for longer. If this is done on a laptop, it's best to eliminate distractions (social networks, web browsers, etc.). When it's time to do an assignment, these same applications should remain closed.
To ensure that they are focused on the task, students should work in a place and environment that makes them want to get down to the task. Remember to take regular breaks of a few minutes. Then, to improve concentration, simply time the time when it's effortless. Work is then organized according to this rhythm, with the addition of breaks of a few minutes at the end of each of these periods. After a month in which he has mastered this type of schedule, he can try to increase his period of concentration by five minutes. A cycle that he will repeat in subsequent months.
Of course, the question of concentration isn't obvious in a world of electronic distraction. For teachers, it's often a pitched battle against mobile devices. This is what motivates some to advocate banning them from the classroom. However, to do so would be to deprive ourselves of devices that can enhance pedagogy. All the more so as there are many paid and unpaid applications that can help avoid distractions on your computer, tablet or phone. In fact, we invite you to consult our up-to-date list of these solutions to keep the focus on schoolwork.
Illustration : robertDouglass Lucy Drawing via photopin (license)
References
"6 Tips To Facilitate Concentration In Class." Hop'Toys Blog. Last updated : October 10, 2017. https://www.bloghoptoys.fr/6-astuces-faciliter-concentration-classe.
De Foucher, Lorraine. "Le Combat Pour L'attention Est à Mener Avec Les étudiants"." Le Monde.fr. Last updated : September 25, 2017. http://www.lemonde.fr/m-perso/article/2017/09/25/le-combat-pour-l-attention-est-a-mener-avec-les-etudiants_5190809_4497916.html.
Hery, Ismaël. "Concentration Et Attention En Profondeur : Durée Moyenne Et Durée Idéale." Le Temps Reconquis. Last updated : December 15, 2016. http://letempsreconquis.fr/concentration-et-attention-en-profondeur-duree-ideale/.
Kamga, Gervais. "Améliorer Sa Faculté De Concentration." Apprendreaapprendre.com. Last updated : August 19, 2017. https://www.apprendreaapprendre.com/reussite_scolaire/ameliorer-faculte-concentration/.
Longour, Michèle. "Etudiants, Musclez Votre Concentration Pour Travailler Efficace." Réussir Sa Vie : Des Pistes De Réflexion Pour Construire Son Projet De Vie. Accessed May 17, 2018. https://www.reussirmavie.net/Etudiants-musclez-votre-concentration-pour-travailler-efficace_a2094.html.
Millot, Florence. "Comment Fonctionne L'attention Et La Concentration." PEDAGOGIE INNOVANTE. Accessed May 17 2018. http://pedagogieinnovante.com/index.php/comment-fonctionne-lattention-et-la-concentration/.
"What Tools For Staying Focused?" Thot Cursus. Last updated : May 16, 2018. https://cursus.edu/16928/quels-outils-pour-rester-concentre.
Shehadeh, Marianne. "Les Meilleurs Horaires Pour Réviser." DigiSchool Media. Last updated : September 9, 2017. https://www.digischool.fr/methodologie/revisions/meilleures-heures-pour-reviser-9576.html.
Tillier, Thierry. "How The Brain Works." COURSDINFO SL. Accessed May 17 2018. http://coursdinfo.fr/articles/comment-apprendre-comment-enseigner/le-fonctionnement-du-cerveau.php.
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