Issue #52: The Science of Concentration
Good morning. It's Wednesday, October 26th. A few famous birthdays today of celebs that seem to be doing pretty good with the whole aging thing - Pat Sajak (75), Keith Urban (54), and Seth MacFarlane (48). I mean Pat Sajak has been manning the Wheel of Fortune since 1983!
“Learn as if you were not reaching your goal and as though you were scared of missing it.”
From the Lab: The Science of Concentration
Take Action: A Calendar for Optimized Focus
Speed Read: Best Adventure Travel Companies
Wednesday Weights: Which Way is the Beach Workout
What We're Reading: How We Learn
The bits of data we take in with all of our senses every single second. But our conscious mind only processes 50 bits per second.
From the Lab
Our brain is actually tasked with keeping information out - thanks to our reticular activating system (RAS). This is our way of making sense of the world.
But with today’s infinite distractions we need to actively keep ourselves focused. It’s not just checking our phone 344 times per day (Issue #27), it’s all the multitasking we try to do - scrolling social media while in a meeting, checking email while packing lunches for the kids.
Multitasking results in a 40% reduction in productivity (Microsoft study). But an even bigger deal - it increases our cortisol levels (Issue #19) and even shrinks the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in our brain.*
Oh and there’s no such thing as multitasking - it’s just task switching at blinding speeds. We can actually only focus on one thing at a time.
It's this constant task switching (which we think is multitasking) that crushes our energy. Every time we shift our attention our prefrontal cortex has to burn more oxygenated glucose - our brain fuel.
*ACC (not the Atlantic Coast Conference) is the part of the brain that controls attention span, decision-making, and impulse control.
Focus & Concentration
The ability to concentrate is the crux of all our growth. Think about it - what can you accomplish without significant concentration? Doesn’t matter if you’re trying to go pro at pickleball, learning a new language, or building a sales presentation - you need the ability to concentrate.
Concentration - the ability to keep awareness on one thing for an extended period of time.
Did I already lose you?
Fortunately, concentration is like any other muscle - we can strengthen it with the right methods.
Take Action
Being more focused isn't just about solving problems and being more productive - you'll also feel more positive, in control, and have a better understanding of who you really are (source). So get the focus time on the calendar!
BTW - it takes 23 min to come back to something after a distraction so even if you schedule all this time on the calendar, you'll still get more done!
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Speed Read
Health & Longevity in the News
Progress on Baldness: Researchers from Japan studying the processes of hair growth have successfully generated hair follicles in petri dishes. Seems like a long way between the lab and our head - but it's progress. Love that this was reported by the Good News Network.
Unilever Recall: Unilever issued a voluntary product recall of select lot codes of dry shampoo aerosol products from Dove, Nexxus, Suave, TIGI, and TRESemme due to potentially elevated levels of benzene. Benzene is a human carcinogen - if it's in your bathroom throw it out (FDA).
Eco-Conscious Travel: Here's an incredible list of travel companies taking steps to mitigate their impact on the environment. And some go beyond the planet - empowering workers and serving local communities. Plus, they all deliver awesome freaking travel experiences. Consider these B Corps for your next adventure.
Wednesday Weights
Summer might be over, but doesn't mean we shouldn't still be focusing on arm strength. Here's a burnout for your triceps and biceps!
Click HERE to view the workout on our YouTube channel.
Workout and video courtesy of Connor J. Obrochta. Check out all of Connor's workouts on Playbook!
What We're Reading
NYTimes science reporter, Benedict Carey, explores the science of learning - focusing on how to learn smarter, not harder. Learners (we) are not automatons. 10,000 hours may be required to hone your craft, but it's really not 100% effort all the time. Slacking and sleeping are key to learning - so get to it (after a quick nap).
Thanks for joining us today!
Check out the latest workout videos on our YouTube channel
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Why Thrive25
We’re 40-something dads that felt our bodies and minds start to slow down and we’re not ready for that. We found too much information on every subject. So we started Thrive25 to transform what we’ve learned into something useful for the rest of us to spend just 3-5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.
This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at team@thrive25.com.
To health!
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25 Labs LLC does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.