0:00:00.000,0:00:00.925 I kind of feel like 0:00:00.925,0:00:02.879 my attention span is dying 0:00:02.879,0:00:04.301 knocks on the door 0:00:04.301,0:00:05.060 it's just like 0:00:05.060,0:00:06.690 whenever I try and do anything, 0:00:06.690,0:00:09.101 I start craving some sort of distraction 0:00:09.101,0:00:11.188 I can't just focus on one thing at a time 0:00:11.188,0:00:13.256 even if that thing is sleeping. 0:00:13.256,0:00:14.659 But I have things I wanna do, 0:00:14.659,0:00:15.889 things I want to focus on 0:00:15.889,0:00:16.840 I just don't 0:00:16.846,0:00:18.966 because refreshing Instagram is 0:00:18.966,0:00:21.561 always going to be easier 0:00:28.027,0:00:29.271 ... and it's a problem! 0:00:29.271,0:00:30.263 And I'm tired of it. 0:00:30.263,0:00:34.464 I am tired of feeling like my life is [br]so far out of my own control. 0:00:34.750,0:00:36.280 So today, 0:00:36.280,0:00:38.648 we are figuring out how to stop scrolling, 0:00:38.648,0:00:40.706 and how to start paying attention. 0:00:40.785,0:00:42.875 Thank you to our Patreons for [br]supporting the channel, 0:00:42.877,0:00:44.217 and headspace for sponsoring 0:00:44.293,0:00:45.531 a portion of this video. 0:00:45.531,0:00:47.879 With focused music, motivational exercises, 0:00:47.879,0:00:49.472 guided meditations, and more, 0:00:49.472,0:00:51.919 Headspace has over a thousand [br]pieces of content 0:00:51.919,0:00:54.058 to help you be kind to your mind. 0:00:54.058,0:00:56.242 If you want to see how Headspace[br]might be helpful to you, 0:00:56.242,0:00:58.940 you can try it out completely for free[br]for 60 days. 0:00:58.940,0:01:00.483 All you have to do is sign up 0:01:00.483,0:01:01.733 with our link in the description 0:01:01.733,0:01:03.636 or scan the QR code on screen. 0:01:03.636,0:01:04.236 [slam] 0:01:04.236,0:01:05.227 So, what's in the box? 0:01:05.231,0:01:07.251 [box opening] 0:01:07.251,0:01:10.159 This is an electroencephalogram, [br]or an EEG. 0:01:10.159,0:01:12.000 It measures electrical activity in the brain 0:01:12.000,0:01:14.529 which are associated with certain[br]performance metrics 0:01:14.529,0:01:17.109 like attention, excitement and stress. 0:01:17.109,0:01:18.998 Does that look good?[br]How's that - How do I look? 0:01:18.998,0:01:20.671 Now these things usually look[br]a little bit more 0:01:20.671,0:01:23.011 threatening and wire-y,[br]however 0:01:23.011,0:01:24.942 I reached out to this brand[br]called Emotiv 0:01:24.942,0:01:27.328 that creates more simplified[br]consumer options. 0:01:27.328,0:01:28.647 They gave me a little discount 0:01:28.647,0:01:30.353 so I could actually afford this[br]for the video. 0:01:30.353,0:01:32.566 And I look like a cyborg. 0:01:32.566,0:01:33.596 I think it looks cute. 0:01:33.942,0:01:34.714 Okay, so these are my brainwaves 0:01:34.714,0:01:36.353 and if I focus on it 0:01:36.353,0:01:37.719 really hard 0:01:37.719,0:01:40.444 it should be able to translate these 0:01:40.444,0:01:42.655 into more understandable metrics... 0:01:42.655,0:01:44.880 like attention![br]Look at that! 0:01:44.880,0:01:47.331 You see the building of tension[br]and spike in excitement; 0:01:47.331,0:01:48.485 that's my brain! 0:01:48.485,0:01:51.202 I kind of feel like a videogame character[br]and these are my stats. 0:01:51.202,0:01:51.800 It's cool. 0:01:51.800,0:01:54.231 Now I should note that EEG data[br]can be pretty noisy 0:01:54.506,0:01:57.610 and things like movement [br]can really impact the results. 0:01:57.610,0:02:00.889 However, I think that having any level of [br]recording is an improvement 0:02:00.889,0:02:04.793 because I basically never pay attention[br]to my attention. 0:02:04.793,0:02:08.572 It only every really comes up when[br]I'm feeling guilty about my screentime, 0:02:08.572,0:02:11.323 or I realise that [br]I've done nothing all day. 0:02:11.323,0:02:16.063 And only having these really infrequent[br]and negative interactions with my problem 0:02:16.063,0:02:18.786 makes it really hard to be [br]objective about the whole thing, 0:02:18.786,0:02:21.069 to understand how bad it actually is 0:02:21.069,0:02:23.774 and see if it's getting better or worse. 0:02:23.774,0:02:26.136 But now, with the help of this brainscanner, 0:02:26.136,0:02:29.242 I finally got to measure a [br]baseline for my attention span 0:02:29.242,0:02:31.010 without getting bogged down by guilt, 0:02:31.010,0:02:33.743 or forgetting to focus on my focus. 0:02:33.743,0:02:34.197 [typing] 0:02:34.197,0:02:38.407 I wore the EEG while I worked, ate,[br]exercised and relaxed. 0:02:38.407,0:02:41.844 I did take it off a few times[br]because it gets pretty uncomfortable 0:02:41.844,0:02:43.380 after really long stretches. 0:02:43.380,0:02:43.959 Woah! 0:02:43.959,0:02:46.032 But, overall, [br]it was pretty easy to ignore 0:02:46.032,0:02:47.948 while I just lived my life [br]for the rest of the week. 0:02:47.948,0:02:51.233 Alongside the EEG, I installed[br]a program to automatically track 0:02:51.233,0:02:53.384 how often I switched tasks on my computer, 0:02:53.384,0:02:56.212 and I recorded [br]how many times I picked up my phone. 0:02:56.212,0:02:59.167 Did you know that you can't actually[br]export you screentime data! 0:02:59.167,0:03:02.306 Then I wrote a quick script[br]to compile all this data and visualise it. 0:03:02.306,0:03:05.137 Here is my life for the past three days. 0:03:05.137,0:03:06.226 Ooh. 0:03:06.226,0:03:09.605 The x-axis is the number of hours in a day. 0:03:09.605,0:03:12.789 These blue bars represent the [br]number of times I picked up my phone. 0:03:12.789,0:03:15.313 This grey line tracks how productive[br]I was at my computer, 0:03:15.313,0:03:18.699 and these coloured lines are the median[br]performance metrics from my EEG. 0:03:18.699,0:03:22.037 Now, some highlights include this moment 0:03:22.037,0:03:27.568 where I picked up my phone to start [br]debugging the app that I was using to scan my brain, 0:03:27.568,0:03:33.939 and then I ended up [uh] opening Instagram[br]and spending the next two hours on it. 0:03:33.939,0:03:34.508 [laughs] 0:03:34.508,0:03:36.133 However, during my meeting the next day 0:03:36.133,0:03:38.899 I was like super interested and attentive, 0:03:38.899,0:03:40.257 right? Great? No. 0:03:40.257,0:03:43.189 It's because I kept picking up my phone! 0:03:43.189,0:03:44.649 I was supposed to be on call! 0:03:44.649,0:03:46.235 I kept opening up Instagram! 0:03:46.235,0:03:47.250 But it's not all bad news: 0:03:47.250,0:03:50.512 there are these instances [br]where I put down my phone, 0:03:50.512,0:03:54.389 I get into the zone,[br]and my brain just lights up. 0:03:54.389,0:03:58.846 The only issue is that in my 8-hour work[br]day, it only happens for, like, an hour. 0:03:58.846,0:04:03.786 It's over here at like 2 o'clock, [br]or 5 o'clock, or 10 o'clock! 0:04:03.786,0:04:06.688 Now something similar does happen[br]to my brain when I am working out, 0:04:06.688,0:04:09.408 but... how often am I doing that? 0:04:09.408,0:04:13.426 All this is to say, is that for [br]the 16-ish hours that I am awake, 0:04:13.426,0:04:17.419 I am only engaged [br]and focused for like 12% of it. 0:04:17.419,0:04:20.509 The rest of the time [br]- the 88% of the time - 0:04:20.509,0:04:24.413 I'm all over the place: [br]I'm checked out or I'm distracted. 0:04:24.413,0:04:28.067 This could be most of the rest of my life [br]unless we do something about it. 0:04:28.067,0:04:29.238 So let's do that. 0:04:29.238,0:04:34.183 So, I started looking for any books[br]about attention, focus and distractions 0:04:34.183,0:04:35.983 and I found a lot of them. 0:04:35.983,0:04:38.979 There was just one problem[br]- they're all identical! 0:04:38.979,0:04:40.755 They invent different buzz words and 0:04:40.755,0:04:42.413 and they switch out the personal anecdotes 0:04:42.413,0:04:44.198 that they blur with legitimate science, 0:04:44.198,0:04:47.804 but fundamentally, [br]if you've read one, you've read them all. 0:04:47.804,0:04:52.129 Fortunately, you don't need to read any of them[br]because here are the three things 0:04:52.129,0:04:55.622 that you actually need to know[br]if you want to fix your focus. 0:04:55.869,0:04:58.189 1: Attention and focus are different things. 0:04:58.189,0:05:02.367 Attention is a broad concept that [br]boils down to our general awareness, 0:05:02.367,0:05:06.271 while focus is one process [br]that controls that awareness, 0:05:06.271,0:05:08.701 concentrating it on something specific. 0:05:08.701,0:05:12.679 2: Focus is a limited and exhaustible resource. 0:05:12.679,0:05:15.936 So, you can only really [br]focus on one thing at a time 0:05:15.936,0:05:20.131 and your ability to do that will [br]tire out the further you get from rest. 0:05:20.131,0:05:23.322 3: Focus also filters out distractions. 0:05:23.322,0:05:26.771 The more there are,[br]the more of your focus is being wasted. 0:05:26.771,0:05:30.742 Now some research exists suggesting that[br]certain forms of cognitive training 0:05:30.742,0:05:33.785 can increase your capacity [br]and ability to focus. 0:05:33.785,0:05:37.126 But the type of training and the [br]effectiveness has varying results. 0:05:37.126,0:05:40.108 The brain is complicated and [br]there is a lot of nuance in the details - 0:05:40.108,0:05:42.669 especially when you are trying [br]to find things that work for you 0:05:42.669,0:05:44.619 and your specific circumstances. 0:05:44.619,0:05:48.106 So to fix my focus, I'm actually only going[br]to do a handful of very simple things 0:05:48.106,0:05:50.287 that support what we know about focus. 0:05:50.287,0:05:51.100 Here's the plan. 0:05:51.100,0:05:55.075 First I need to manage my distractions, [br]starting with the obvious: my phone. 0:05:55.075,0:05:58.446 I deleted the apps that I never use, [br]set up time limits for the apps I use 0:05:58.446,0:06:01.343 way too much [br](everything except for my wallet) 0:06:01.343,0:06:04.005 and muted basically all of my notifications. 0:06:04.005,0:06:07.399 I also installed this app[br]that replaces icons with text. 0:06:07.399,0:06:10.464 So now I need to put in a little[br]more effort before I open anything. 0:06:10.464,0:06:12.561 I also changed my display to grey scale. 0:06:12.561,0:06:15.244 I have never wanted to use my phone less. 0:06:15.244,0:06:16.243 God, this sucks. 0:06:16.243,0:06:17.494 I wasn't kidding. 0:06:17.494,0:06:21.597 Almost immediately, my phone pick-ups[br]and screen time dropped dramatically. 0:06:21.597,0:06:24.724 However, the silence made me [br]notice the sheer number of 0:06:24.724,0:06:27.172 internal distractions I have, too. 0:06:27.172,0:06:29.636 These passing thoughts that [br]just take me off task, 0:06:29.636,0:06:31.936 like wandering if I need [br]to buy more toilet paper, 0:06:31.936,0:06:34.436 wishing I learned [br]a musical instrument as a kid 0:06:34.436,0:06:36.793 or thinking about what [br]I'm going to have for dinner. 0:06:36.793,0:06:37.876 They were rarely urgent, 0:06:37.876,0:06:42.179 but often important enough that [br]I didn't want to ignore or forget them. 0:06:42.179,0:06:45.884 So, I dedicated a page in my notebook [br]to quickly write them down for later. 0:06:45.884,0:06:46.930 When later came, 0:06:46.930,0:06:51.377 I sorted through those thoughts based on [br]action, importance and time-sensitivity, 0:06:51.377,0:06:56.643 and kept it in mind when I was building[br]my schedule which got way more specific. 0:06:56.643,0:06:59.168 Now, I'm usually the type of person who 0:06:59.168,0:07:02.029 only puts, like, events in my calendar [br]- a normal person - however, 0:07:02.029,0:07:05.194 a lot of the books that I've been reading [br]have recommended time-blocking 0:07:05.194,0:07:06.711 or time-boxing. I don't know. 0:07:06.711,0:07:09.650 It's just setting aside [br]time to do individual tasks. 0:07:09.650,0:07:12.447 Apparently, it helps you avoid [br]the temptation to multitask. 0:07:12.447,0:07:13.100 [alarm beeps] 0:07:13.100,0:07:15.401 So, every morning, I took all of my work, 0:07:15.401,0:07:17.676 chores, exercises and hobbies 0:07:17.676,0:07:19.533 and plugged them into my calendar. 0:07:20.883,0:07:22.343 Now, I found that the secret is that 0:07:22.343,0:07:26.112 it's not as simple as just [br]putting an hour aside for each thing. 0:07:26.112,0:07:27.907 Since focus is an exhaustible resource, 0:07:27.907,0:07:30.449 I need to take into account [br]my energy levels throughout the day 0:07:30.449,0:07:32.833 and how much effort [br]each task is going to take. 0:07:32.833,0:07:36.784 Like, reading research papers and writing[br]takes a lot of focus for me. 0:07:36.784,0:07:38.327 It's just really boring. 0:07:38.327,0:07:40.709 [vacuum cleaner with audiobook playing] 0:07:40.709,0:07:42.893 but listening to audiobooks or animating, 0:07:42.893,0:07:44.077 I'm locked in. 0:07:44.077,0:07:47.894 I actually find it really hard to disengage [br]from the tasks that I really enjoy. 0:07:47.894,0:07:51.753 So I find myself thinking about them [br]or even continuing to do them 0:07:51.753,0:07:53.654 past their allotted time. 0:07:53.654,0:07:56.295 Which means that I should [br]probably think about those switching costs 0:07:56.295,0:07:58.554 when I'm building my [br]schedule out for the day. 0:07:58.554,0:08:01.788 Eventually, I realised this process [br]could be a little more automated, 0:08:01.788,0:08:05.072 so I got Taha to put the process together[br]in a notion template. 0:08:05.072,0:08:08.906 Now I can input tasks, tag them[br]and it will show me an order 0:08:08.906,0:08:10.748 that I can drag into my calendar. 0:08:10.748,0:08:11.764 I found it useful, 0:08:11.764,0:08:14.748 and if you want to give it a try, [br]I'll include it in our next newsletter. 0:08:14.748,0:08:17.983 But once I controlled my [br]external and internal distractions, 0:08:17.983,0:08:20.416 and built out a schedule [br]that minimised multitasking 0:08:20.416,0:08:22.335 and optimised for my energy levels, 0:08:22.335,0:08:24.866 all that was left was actually focusing. 0:08:26.636,0:08:28.428 It was amazing. 0:08:28.583,0:08:31.385 I was using my phone less[br]and getting more done. 0:08:31.385,0:08:34.277 My brain was lighting up. 0:08:34.277,0:08:37.829 I was way more engaged [br]in everything I did. 0:08:37.829,0:08:41.287 I found different soundtracks[br]to make it easier to get in the zone, 0:08:41.287,0:08:43.188 and life was great... 0:08:43.587,0:08:44.696 until it wasn't. 0:08:45.154,0:08:47.488 [uuhhhhh] 0:08:47.689,0:08:50.281 It is... 12. 0:08:50.281,0:08:51.839 I haven't left bed yet. 0:08:51.839,0:08:54.239 I've just been using my phone, full color. 0:08:54.239,0:08:59.473 Every 15 minutes I hit[br]"remind me in 15 minutes." 0:08:59.473,0:09:00.874 [uhh] 0:09:00.874,0:09:03.366 And then 15 minutes later I do it again. 0:09:03.501,0:09:05.941 Just feels like we're [br]back where we started. 0:09:05.941,0:09:08.716 I ended up using my phone[br]for 7 hours that day - 0:09:08.716,0:09:11.041 more than I had all week prior. 0:09:11.183,0:09:12.600 I had things I could do. 0:09:12.600,0:09:14.217 Things I should do. 0:09:14.410,0:09:17.609 But I just couldn't [br]bring myself to get up. 0:09:19.195,0:09:22.662 I am kind of proud that I managed to [br]pull up my code on my phone 0:09:22.662,0:09:24.753 and see if there were any clues in my data 0:09:24.753,0:09:26.651 that could explain what went wrong. 0:09:26.651,0:09:28.211 I know, it's pathetic, 0:09:28.211,0:09:32.236 but it was a small victory that [br]led to an interesting discovery: 0:09:32.236,0:09:34.654 the nights that I used [br]my phone past midnight 0:09:34.654,0:09:38.946 led to days where I felt more distracted [br]and picked up my phone more often. 0:09:38.946,0:09:41.938 I learned in an old video[br]how important sleep could really be, 0:09:41.938,0:09:44.823 so I decided to just give up on the day, 0:09:44.823,0:09:47.324 get some sleep, and try again tomorrow. 0:09:49.448,0:09:55.974 [sigh] 0:09:55.974,0:09:57.491 [aaaAAAHHH] 0:09:57.742,0:09:59.774 I feel like I'm drowning. 0:09:59.774,0:10:02.024 It's like I'm not doing [br]anything hard, right? 0:10:02.024,0:10:03.558 I'm just doing my stuff. 0:10:03.558,0:10:05.717 I'm just trying to focus on it more. 0:10:05.717,0:10:09.242 Except, I'm trying so hard to focus 0:10:09.242,0:10:13.577 that everything is making me on edge. 0:10:13.577,0:10:16.343 Like, my cat will try and get my attention 0:10:16.343,0:10:20.027 and I'll be annoyed [br]at him for wanting pats. 0:10:20.027,0:10:22.403 It's like there's sand falling 0:10:22.403,0:10:25.697 and I'm trying to catch all of the sand. 0:10:25.697,0:10:26.945 And you can't do it! 0:10:26.945,0:10:29.145 Am I making any sense? 0:10:29.308,0:10:32.621 I really need to make [br]every grain of sand count 0:10:32.621,0:10:35.571 by like doing everything on target 0:10:35.571,0:10:38.130 and even if I'm enjoying something, 0:10:38.130,0:10:42.156 I can't because I need to move [br]and catch different grains of sand. 0:10:42.773,0:10:44.889 Hold on, hold on, hold on. 0:10:44.889,0:10:46.092 What did you just say? 0:10:46.092,0:10:48.100 "Have you ever thought about 0:10:48.100,0:10:52.526 just meditating and doing nothing? 0:10:52.526,0:10:55.072 Taking a step back away from [br]the thing that you're working on 0:10:55.222,0:10:57.355 and not working? 0:10:57.355,0:10:58.743 Like taking a break?" 0:11:02.563,0:11:04.372 Maybe it was because I was desperate. 0:11:04.372,0:11:06.981 Actually, it is totally because I was desperate 0:11:06.981,0:11:09.209 but I decided to try meditation. 0:11:09.209,0:11:10.717 The only issue is... 0:11:10.983,0:11:12.583 I have no idea how. 0:11:12.684,0:11:14.985 Luckily, I have headspace. 0:11:14.985,0:11:17.395 I should probably turn the colour on 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 just so you guys can see [br]what the app actually looks like. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When I asked headspace [br]to sponsor a portion of this video, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I genuinely thought I was only going to use[br]their focus music and white noise, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because I love listening to those [br]to the point that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it is ruining my YouTube recommendations[br]and Spotify Wrapped. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So it is just great to have access to [br]headspace's collection. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But headspace also has stretches, [br]workouts, podcasts and meditation. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They have content [br]specifically for beginners, like me, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 who don't know where to start. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's in their basics course. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But if you don't want to commit to that, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 they also have shorter exercises 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 including my favourite thing [br]I discovered on this app, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 which is "Star Wars: Breathe with Yoda." 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's a 1-minute breathing exercise 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and Yoda's just sitting there levitating rocks.[br]I love it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 However, they also have [br]longer, less structured stuff 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for people with more experience. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Just the sheer amount of variety is [br]probably my favorite thing about headspace 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They bring together so many resources [br]to help you be kind to your mind; so, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 even if meditation doesn't end up helping,[br]maybe movement will. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Or, another cool thing that I found [br]- this is so sick - they have ASMR 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and there's like a thing at the bottom[br]that lets you control the balance between 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 voice and, like, environmental noise. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Headspace, do more of this! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 If you want to try out headspace, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 completely for free for 60 days, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you can sign up using the link in the[br]description, or scan the QR code. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Okay, lets learn how to meditate. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "Hi, and welcome to-"[br]"-Hi" 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 My first experience with meditation was... 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 strange? Now, the voice kept telling me to 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 focus on my breathing, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but I might have focused a little too hard 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because I was worried [br]I forgot how to breathe. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I should wear my head [br]scanner thing for this! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Back to breathing. [exhales] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But eventually, I think I got the hang of it 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and after 10 minutes 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 -How am I supposed to know if[br]meditation is working? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Is there a light? [br]Like what happens? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "I don't think there is [br]an exact science to it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's just - you're supposed [br]to just feel better. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Or feel changed. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Did it do anything?" 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I don't know! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Do you just keep doing it? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 "That's kind of it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I know that's probably not[br]what you wanted to hear, but-" 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So I just trust the process? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, for the next few days, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I continued with my focus [br]schedule and wore my EEG. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But I also tried to meditate in [br]the morning, or evening, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 or just random moments when I felt like it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And then, something kind of wild happened. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Meditation works! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And I wish I could tell you this because 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I have achieved enlightenment or I have a new found sense of peace, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but, no. I just feel normal . 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 About as normal as the distribution of 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the sample means of my experimental [br]populations, justifying the use of 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a two-sampled t-test [br]resulting in these p-values. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Ooh! How significant. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This EEG has seriously paid off 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because even though I [br]don't feel that different, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I was able to use its [br]measurements to do some statistics 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and find that meditation has improved [br]basically all of my performance metrics: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 engagement, excitement, interest. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Also, stress, but that might be because 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I was wearing this when you guys 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 sold out our last merch drop in [br]less than 24 hours. Thank you for that. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So good stress. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The coolest thing is that all of this is [br]on top of what I already gained 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 by minimising distractions [br]and avoiding multitasking. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 At least according to these regressions 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I ran. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But the benefits of meditation [br]came at a surprising cost. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You see these peaks of intense focus? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Yeah, those stopped happening. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But I also stopped experiencing these[br]huge dips. Now I'm just fine. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This whole thing is just... fine. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You know, I started this video because [br]I wanted to feel more in control of my attention. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I didn't want to rely on being distracted[br]every single second. And you know what? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Done. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I am literally, statistically more engaged 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and anecdotally, I was doing [br]the dishes the other day and 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I started playing a podcast [br]out of habit, then I realised: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'd rather just clean in silence. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Who am I? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I know I should be happy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Happy that for folks [br]without attention disorders, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 fixing your focus is as simple as 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 minimising distractions, [br]avoiding multitasking, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and maybe meditating [br]if it all gets too much. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I should be happy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But I'm not. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Like I think it's really cool [br]that meditation can work 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 even if you don't know how it works, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but I'm me... 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I need to know how. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So I guess if you only cared [br]about fixing your focus, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the video is done. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You heard my advice. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But, if you're like me 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and you want to know why, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 come with me 'cause we're gonna find out. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It was strange getting [br]to the bottom of this. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because I was looking for an answer [br]when I didn't really have a question. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I just had a sense of unease because[br]I had solved my original problem 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 without understanding how or why[br]my solution really worked. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It was only after [br]spending the day in the library, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 flipping through any book [br]I could find about meditation, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 when I realised my question and its answer. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You see, earlier we learned [br]how focus works according to science, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and the tips I found in those productivity [br]books were in line with that. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They should have helped me stay focused. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But they didn't. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Not in the long run. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 However, when I added meditation [br]to the mix, it all worked. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The question is how. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Specifically, how did meditation [br]influence my focus 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 differently than productivity tips. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Okay. So, meditation as we know it 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 originated in India with 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Theravada Buddhism. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 However, it's since evolved [br]into a wide range of practices 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 used throughout the world, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 including more securlarised [br]and intrumentalised forms 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that became popular in the west with [br]books like Wherever You Go There You Are. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This approach to meditation became [br]known as mindfulness based interventions 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and has two main forms: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 open monitoring, where you observe your [br]experiences in real time without reacting 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you just recognise things as they are; 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and focused attention, where you concentrate[br]on something specific like breathing. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Now the interesting thing is that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 this religiously informed framework, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with origins from thousands of years ago, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 has a lot of surprising parallels 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with our modern scientific [br]understanding of attention. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In fact, some Buddhist practitioners have 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 been found to out-perform the norm[br]at meditative tasks, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 suggesting that meditation is, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 at least in part, [br]helping them focus. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Now, I should probably say that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a lot of this research, while promising, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is still inconclusive. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Meditation, and even attention, [br]are still kind of nebulous concepts 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that make it difficult to achieve [br]rigourous, scientific consensus. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 However, despite the similarities [br]I found between religious theory 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and these pop science attention books, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I did notice, one key difference: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 how they manage distractions. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You see, the pop science and [br]productivity books I read 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 emphasised cutting out distractions 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and building walls in your space [br]and schedule to protect your focus. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This is straight forward in concept 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but really difficult to maintain 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 if have a lot of responsibilities [br]that are outside your control. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In contrast, the mindfulness approach [br]targets your focus directly, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 cultivating it to be easier to command [br]and resilient to distractions. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This forms a sort of spectrum 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 where you either reshape your environment [br]to restore your attention, or 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 reinforce your attention [br]to endure the world. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Now here's the thing, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 when you feel your attention span 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 slipping through your fingers, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that pop science, productivity [br]approach is really tempting. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But only because it's unavoidable, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 like, a lot of the content around [br]reclaiming your focus 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is for the sake of [br]using it on something else. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But it is also tempting [br]because the advice is so tangible. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You turn off your notifications, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you build out a schedule, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you get rid of the distractions 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and see it replaced with [br]things you do care about. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Compare that to meditation 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 which is so subtle that, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 if I wasn't wearing [br]an EEG for three weeks, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I would have just [br]assumed that it did nothing. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 However, the average person like you or I, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 can never fully control our environments. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And the supports we use to try [br]are shockingly fragile. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So if they break, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 when they break, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 all we're left with [br]is our core ability to focus. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And if that sucks, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we end up where we started. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That's why I think [br]meditation helped me out. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The whole exercise is realising[br]that your mind naturally wanders, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but you also have the power 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to nudge it back to where[br]you want it to be. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Now, I'm obviously not [br]going to go full tilt 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and become a Buddhist Monk [br]because - to be honest - 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I can't pull of orange. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 However, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the great thing about a spectrum is 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that we can find ourselves [br]somewhere in the middle: 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 structuring our days more thoughtfully 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 end lowering the noise, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 not to a silence, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but to a gentle hum 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that we can enjoy at our own pace. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But either way, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 have a lovely day.