[excerpted from, 9 Keys to Mindfulness for Health: Health Psychology, ©2023]

Focus, and notice.

Surely we must begin with attention, the foremost quality of mindfulness whether trait, state, or practice: paying attention to one’s life, and to the surrounding world.

We tend to pride ourselves on multitasking, and in today’s exceptionally busy world, this seems on the surface a good idea. In reality, however, while it may be good for productivity, it’s not healthy for our brains; the brain is capable of multi-tasking, of course, but monotasking and its accompanying keen focus is what keeps our attention sharp, rather than scattered.

The multiple distractions of our technological era have contributed to a decrease in attention span and increase in attention deficits, as we’ve all become accustomed to using multiple programs, apps, or windows at once and having a near-continuous stream of stimuli.

Arguably, the human brain may be evolving rather than devolving, and we may find that the brain of the future is far more prone to and happy with multitasking than it is now. But we aren’t there yet.

More importantly, attention is a skill. When we refine our attention, we’re actually far more productive than when we use the scattershot approach of multitasking, even though the latter may feel highly productive.

When was the last time you did just one thing, with a singular focus? Unless you’re already engaged in regular meditation or a practitioner of mindfulness, this may have been a while. Our brains are continually bombarded with stimuli not only of our own making – which in itself is not inconsequential today – but also of the input morass which surrounds us.

Imagine, if you will, sitting quietly for just 10 minutes with a sole focus on your breathing, bringing your attention back to your breath whenever it wanders. As you imagine this, does 10 minutes feel like an eternity? Do you find yourself feeling anxious about this? Can you imagine doing so? Daily?

This is precisely what’s recommended as a daily mindfulness practice, and all those mental and physical health benefits earlier mentioned are possible with just this quiet 10 minutes a day. The practice of experienced meditators is typically only 20 minutes daily, but benefits between 10 and 20 minutes of daily practice aren’t known to differ.

Now imagine sitting for those 10 minutes a day with no outer stimulus. Perhaps you’re wearing noise-cancelling earphones, for example, or silicone earplugs, or are just fortunate enough to have a very silent room in your home; you have an eyeshade on, to shut out all light, and you’ve been practicing meditation long enough to be able to maintain a focus solely on your breathing.

Can you envision that complete attention? And can you sense, in your own body, the profound peacefulness and deep rest to your mind that it would bring?

This is our goal.

Parallel to such deep and singular focus is the practice of noticing everything, which may seem paradoxical. Yet ultimately, we’re working toward being able to shut out distractions. When we focus entirely on inner process such as above, we’re shutting out external stimulus; as we notice the details of our lives, we’re not allowing ourselves to be internally distracted.

For example: if you’ve regularly driven a car, you undoubtedly know the experience of having driven for some time only to realize that you weren’t particularly aware of the past 20 minutes of the journey. Sure, you were safely driving, on ‘auto-pilot’ and responding appropriately. But you were lost in your own thoughts, and didn’t notice anything in particular around you.

When we live mindfully, we do so because we don’t want to miss any part of our journey.

The age-old, ‘where has the time gone?’ begins to have a richly nuanced response. When someone says to me, ‘can you believe that it’s already–?’ I smile to myself; yes, on the surface the time seems to fly by and the calendar turns. But, yes, I know precisely where that time has gone, or more importantly, how I experienced it: each and every day filled with countless moments, mostly of joy or simple pleasures, sometimes of pain or discomfort, but full and rich in detail nonetheless.

Paying attention.

Ultimately, we want our mental function of attention to be highly refined and working well at all times – not overworked, but without external or internal distractions to the degree possible. Such razor-sharp focus may seem as if it would be exhausting, but far from it: as I notice the beam of sunshine that delights me as it dances along the pathway in front of my feet while I walk, or the butterfly flitting from one flower to the next when I’m trekking, or the fresh and cool quality of the morning air, or the sound of a dove cooing outside my window – my day, my life, and my world are filled with joy.

In mindfulness, we live life with all of our senses wide open, without distraction.

Čopelj (2022) addresses the two approaches to mindfulness, particularly in its meditation, as that of the ‘quietists’ – to shut out all stimulus and quiet the mind for a while – and the ‘cognitivists’ – those paying close attention to life around them, taking it all in. I’ve addressed both here, as I don’t conceive of them as contradictory; both require attention and focus, while one is on ‘everything’ and the other, on ‘nothing’ (or, on one’s internal landscape). Both approaches are exceptionally healthy for our brains and the richness of our lives, and it seems to me, varying between the two – a 10-minute daily ‘quietist’ practice and a life of ‘cognitivist’ attention – is the most comprehensive approach to mindfulness. This is in line with the teachings of that great master of mindfulness, Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh, and with my personal experience of 40 years’ practice. Čopelj argues, in fact, that neither approach is accurate and that mindfulness is not attention at all but a state of being, a sort of floating in a state of nonattention – and I would support this as well. However, I also see attention and present-moment focus as two separate phenomena, as you’ll see in our upcoming key, ‘present moment’.

In contrast, Rahrig et al. (2022), in their review of 12 studies, demonstrate the neurobiological results of mindfulness practice in enhancing the brain’s attentional control, through a cross-fertilization among 3 neural networks. This indicates that through mindfulness, one’s control of one’s own attentional networks becomes increasingly flexible – and alters brain function in measurable ways.

Brown et al. (2022) clarify this even further, identifying these two forms of attention that I’ve outlined above as focused attention and open monitoring. The results of their study indicate that the former has measurable benefits as demonstrated on EEG, while the latter results primarily in subjective benefits. Both, then, are good for us: focused attention refines our brain’s executive functioning, while open monitoring contributes to our felt sense of wellbeing, and our emotional awareness.

For the health psychologist, this hyperfocus or keen attention – beneficial to anyone – is especially helpful for those who struggle with attention deficit disorder [ADD], for example, or older adults with decline in short-term memory, or early dementia. As we refine and enhance our brain’s attention capacity, we’re better able to focus on what we’re doing, and memory also improves.

So how can we enhance our attention, in addition to mindfulness meditation itself? What other activities can we engage in so that we might find meditation easier to achieve and maintain? How can we pay attention to our daily lives – and live more mindfully?

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Exercises:

Naturally, we must begin with meditation itself, as this is the primary sharpener of attention. In its basic form: sit comfortably, distractions minimized, eyes closed, breathing slow and steady. Bring your attention to your breathing and keep your focus there: slowly in, brief hold, slowly out, brief hold, repeat. When you notice your attention has wandered (it will, even in the most experienced meditators; noticing when it’s happened is your aim), simply bring your focus back to your breathing. When thoughts, memories, or emotions arise, notice each one…as you wish it on its way. Pay no attention to its story; merely greet it and say a gentle goodbye again, returning your focus to your breathing. Ten minutes is sufficient for this (shorter duration in the beginning); set a quiet alarm so you aren’t focused on the time, but one that won’t startle you back to an alert state. Afterward, reflect: by writing, contemplating, talking with someone, drawing – whatever method works for you. Processing after the experience itself is essential.

Other mindfulness-oriented practices can also refine our skills of attention. If you’re able, engage in just 2-3 minutes of walking meditation; again, quiet your mind and minimize distractions, then begin walking…as slowly as possible. Match your steps to your slow and steady breathing: one step with one inhalation, another step on exhalation. If your mind wanders, refocus on breathing and ever-so-slowly walking.

Engage in mindful dining. If cooking your own meal, pay close attention to every aspect of your cooking process, without any external distractions (neither conversation nor electronic input). Then, dine mindfully, paying full attention – to your food, its taste but also appearance, texture, temperature, and any other details you can discern; how it feels in your mouth, when your body tells you it’s had enough. Notice the table, plating, how your hand moves as you feed yourself, the feeling of your tongue against your teeth or palate. Try to be aware of as much as possible – and cherish that food for the nourishment it gives your body.

Engage in a daily form of exercise, and pay close attention – to each movement, whether stretching, strengthening, or aerobic; to its effects on your body, what’s happening to your muscles, weight-bearing joints, heart and lungs; to each movement and your body’s positioning; to your breath. Notice everything – and honor your body as you do. This doesn’t exclude those who aren’t physically able, by the way; any form of exercise you can do, even while seated in a chair or lying in bed, or that someone else does for you in manipulating your limbs for example, can be approached in an equally mindful and focused way.

Gaze in a mirror. Notice your face in as much detail as possible. Stare into your eyes (often a powerful experience). We think we know our own face – but as we gaze mindfully, focusing closely, we may notice aspects heretofore overlooked. While you’re at it – cherish that face, in all its parts, even those you think you don’t like. Similarly, gaze at your own hands. Move them, notice them, sense what’s beneath the skin and how they function. Notice them as if for the first time. Take your time with this. They are a marvel.

Immerse yourself regularly in the natural world, ideally as a weekly excursion – and, ideally, solitary. (If this isn’t safe or for any other reason you need to go with someone, make a pact in advance that you’ll walk or sit in nature without speaking, each of you having a solo, parallel experience.) Take a long, slow walk if you’re physically able to do so – through a forest, up a mountain, along the shore, or otherwise – or if walking isn’t possible, get yourself deeply in nature (i.e. away from human busy-ness) and sit there for some time. Most of all: notice everything. As much detail as possible. Take it all in, engaging as many of your senses as you can. This is not only an exercise of attention but a profound replenishment, an enrichment of one’s spirit.

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References:

Brown KW, Berry D, Eichel K et al. (2022). Comparing impacts of meditation training in focused attention, open monitoring, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on emotion reactivity and regulation: Neural and subjective evidence from a dismantling study. Psychophysiology 59, e14024. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.14024

Čopelj E (2022). Mindfulness and attention: Towards a phenomenology of mindfulness as the feeling of being tuned in. Asian Philosophy 32:2, 126-151. https://doi.org/10.1080/09552367.2022.2031015

Rahrig H, Vago DR, Passarelli MA et al. (2022). Meta-analytic evidence that mindfulness training alters resting state default mode network connectivity. Scientific Reports 12, 12260. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-15195-6