Feeling overwhelmed with daily tasks, the looming to-do list or a project that seems impossible to complete can lead to a heavy and burdened mind stuck in procrastination and distraction.
Getting back on track and focused can feel almost impossible, especially when our attention is pulled in various directions away from what needs our particular consideration.
Added to that, our environment is busy with additional demands placed on us, leading to an even more distracted mind. This “noise” of life is overwhelming, and we may possibly seek distraction outside of its pressures to calm a rattled and exhausted brain.
With so much going on, how can we reclaim our attention and focus on the job at hand?
Understanding why we become distracted or immobilised can help.
According to clinical psychotherapist and counsellor, Chloe Callanan, cognitive overload refers to the sense of overwhelm we feel when our brains are given too much information or too many tasks to complete in a short period of time. “Cognitive overload occurs when the mental demands become too overwhelming,” she says, “and we find ourselves stuck in an inability to complete tasks. This is commonly described as ‘information paralysis’.”
We can go from being selective in our attention and focusing on an individual task, to dividing our attention and multitasking. “The brain is a powerful tool that can process a wide range of information,” says Callanan. However, overstimulation causes a glitch in our processing power to digest and work with the information at hand. Our attention is limited in both its duration and capacity to process the onslaught of information our brain receives, which can result in distraction.
“When we enter a state of cognitive overload, we often feel run down, unable to identify or regulate our emotions, and struggle to enjoy activities we normally would,” says Callanan. “The most common symptom of cognitive overload are daily headaches or excessive stomach issues.”
There are a number of possible reasons why some may find it more difficult to focus and concentrate on a task compared with others. Research indicates that poor diet, hunger, stress and lack of sleep can affect a person’s ability to stay tuned into the task at hand, remain vigilant, productive or with impaired decision-making skills likely.
“Cognitive overload can be quite problematic and can damage emotional wellbeing as well as physical wellbeing for a variety of reasons. Commonly, people experiencing mental overload and burnout make more mistakes than usual affecting their confidence and self-esteem. They experience impatience, which can commonly affect relationships with partners, friends and colleagues.”
Callanan adds that those experiencing cognitive overload show slowing reactions and response times to incoming information and requests, thus increasing the feelings of overwhelm. “Cognitive overload, if not managed properly, can lead to chronic burnout resulting in health issues such as high blood pressure, increased cortisol levels and digestive issues,” she says.
How we respond to a cluttered mind can lead to procrastination or a need to find mental calmness to encourage the capacity to think clearly. Callanan regularly recommends meditation, journaling and speaking with a suitable counsellor or psychotherapist if distraction is not alleviated by proven strategies to regain focus.
How to focus better
Meditation
Research tells us that regularly practising mindfulness and meditation can alter the neural pathways on the brain, resulting in stronger cognitive function, attention and focus.
“Short-guided meditations of five to 10 minutes are great for bringing you out of the mental stress and back into a relaxed body,” says Callanan. “There are many free guided meditations on YouTube and Spotify. These help to gain control of a mind distracted by racing thoughts and bring you back to a sense of calm and control.”
Journaling
Studies show that visual journaling impacts the mind by increasing memory recall and sustained attention, enhancing comprehension, calming the mind and reinforcing mental clarity.
“Journaling is great for gaining clarity on the wide number of rapid thoughts we tend to experience when we experience cognitive overload,” says Callanan, who advises simply writing, scribbling, drawing or colouring to calm a distracted mind. “Having a dedicated notebook or journal for this creates that safe space within your mind for you to let out the thoughts and feelings that have been weighing heavy on you.”
Make a list
“Make a checklist of what you need to get done and tick them off one by one,” says Callanan. “If you are relying on memory to remember everything that needs to be done, you are adding to your cognitive overload.”
Master your sleep, eat well and exercise
Callanan suggests aiming for eight hours of sleep each night. “Minimise screen time before and after sleep as this can lead to doom-scrolling and feeling worse about ourselves,” she says. Research suggests that sleep, diet and physical activity can have an affect on our mental wellbeing, including the ability to focus, our memory, decision-making skills and cognition.
Practise focus
“The manner in which you speak to yourself is an important component to being able to focus,” says Callanan. “If you tell yourself that you are easily distracted and are never going to get on top of things, you definitely won’t. Have faith and tell yourself you can focus. Start by focusing for small periods of time – 15 minutes and then a five-minute break and slowly start to build on this.”
Improving attention and focus takes practice. Our concentration levels alter throughout the day, however by intentionally practising focus in small ways can build on this muscle. This small actionable step can deliver big results. Simply choose to ignore the clutter for a short moment and offer your attention to a small task such as reading a page of a book. Build on this until you can read an entire chapter with a focused mind.
Seek support
“Speaking with a trained counsellor and psychotherapist will help you to develop suitable coping skills to manage stress,” says Callanan, “as well as identify patterns within your life that may be increasing your risk of cognitive overload. Manage stress and overwhelm by reducing tasks into smaller pieces and work through them slowly. Be conscious of constantly rushing - stop eating your breakfast and dinner like they are running away from you. And build a section of your day dedicated to slowing down and breathing.”
[ What can I do differently? Plans for people with anxious tendenciesOpens in new window ]
