Strategies to maintain attention at work, school, or home.

We’ve all been there. Sitting in a classroom or a meeting. Feeling tired or bored or distracted. Your mind starts wander. Then your name gets called to answer a question you never heard. Busted.

A lot of things impact your ability to pay attention. Fatigue, boredom, excitement, worries, hunger, and the list goes on.

After a concussion, all of these are still in play but you also have an attention system that does not function efficiently. Oof. Add in extra distractions such as pain, cognitive fatigue, and new worries, and paying attention becomes a battle.

Last week I talked about all of the different types of attention, and a few general tools to help you fight the attention battle. This week I want to focus on one type of attention: sustained attention.

Sustained Attention

Sustained attention is the ability to focus on something for a long period of time. You need sustained attention to listen in a meeting, read a book, study, drive a car, etc.

After a concussion, you may not be able to pay attention for as long. You may have to stop working because of a headache, because you think of something else to do and abandon your task, or because you feel fidgety and bored.

Sustained Attention Strategies

• Work

  • Get to work early for a “power hour” so you can complete difficult thinking tasks without distractions.

  • Take notes in meetings to stay focused. Record meetings as needed to play back later.

  • Break large projects into parts.

  • Keep your workspace clutter-free.

  • Make a daily agenda. Commit to working on tasks/projects for a reasonable amount of time. Set a timer as needed.

• School

  • Sit in the front of the classroom to reduce distractions.

  • Get notes ahead of time so you have less to write down.

  • Get a note-taker and/or record the lectures to catch things you missed in class.

  • Chew gum, drink cold water, or squeeze a stress ball to help your attention.

  • Take breaks as needed to manage your symptoms.

• Home

  • Keep a daily routine.

  • Set a daily agenda for yourself.

  • Use a timer to keep track of the time.

  • Do one task at a time. If you must switch between multiple tasks at one time, write down the steps. For example:

    • Put laundry in the washing machine. Start the machine.

    • Unload the dishwasher.

    • Sweep the kitchen floor.

    • Move laundry to the dryer.