What comes to mind when you hear the word attention? Maybe you think of listening closely in a meeting or focusing intently on a difficult project. These tasks definitely take a lot of focus. But, everything from reading this blog post to washing dishes to driving a car requires attention.

After a concussion you might feel restless, scatterbrained, forgetful, or distractible. These are symptoms that your attention system is not working efficiently.

Over the next few weeks I’m going to talk about what attention is, why it’s affected by a concussion, and what to do next.

Today’s post is designed to introduce you to the different types of attention and learn a few strategies you can implement right away.

Types of Attention

It’s helpful to break down different types of attention. The 5 most common types of attention are:

• Focused attention: Your ability to notice individual objects or stimuli

• Sustained attention: Your ability to focus on a task for a period of time

• Selective attention: Your ability to focus on a task despite distractions

• Alternating attention: Your ability to shift your focus between tasks or parts of a task

• Divided attention: Your ability to focus on two tasks simultaneously

Measuring Your Attention

People have different attention strengths/weaknesses. After reading the list above you may already know which types of attention are easier/harder for you. But, I recommend keeping an attention log to help you monitor your attention.

Keep an activity log. Include:

• Each activity you did in a given timeframe

• The environment you were in

• Your pain levels before/after the task

• Your energy levels before/after the task

• Your mood before/after the task

• How long you worked

Keep a log for 2-3 days. Then show your log to your healthcare provider. You can also show it to a trusted friend or family member if you are not currently in therapy. Look for insights into your attention strengths and weaknesses. These insights will help you decide which strategies to use.

Strategies for Different Types of Attention

Here are some general attention strategies to help improve your focus:

• Work at the time of day when you have the most energy.

• Reduce internal and external distractions.

• Work in time blocks and take breaks.

• Manage fatigue and stress.

• Get familiar with a task before you start.