How many cones of attention do we have available to provide to tasks on a given day or in a single moment? And how can the dilation of time between sleep and blinking be related -- do we take microsleeps when we blink?
Oya I definitely have a bit of ADHD which is weird because I was an extremely focused child. I can still focus on things I enjoy really well but I can't seem to focus on my school work. Big fan.... inhale sniff exhale, inhale sniff exhale, inhale sniff exhale. Focused... or emotions under control at least.
SUMMARY (by me, AI-free): * mental focus is linked to visual focus * focus for 60-120 seconds on a very small region in front of you, e.g. a window on your screen * the finer the visual image, and the more you can focus on it, the better your mental focus will be * to focus auditory attention, close your eyes * the typical learning bout should be 90 minutes (ultradian cycle chart @ 18:37) * put the phone out of sight * use your alert hours for useful activities, not for scrolling social media or watching TV The rest of the video is interesting, but less actionable, except for what not to do: * Adderall doesn't improve focus, it improves alertness * people have given themselves ADHD by using smartphones and watching videos instead of reading
I totally needed to hear the part when he says " Don't give up that period of time (when you're most alert) for things that are meaningless, useless or not aligned with your goals." That makes so much sense for me when it comes to focus while working remotely. Thank you Dr. Huberman and After Skool. Shout out to the awesome Lefty Artist of this channel!
Your attention is your most valuable asset. Don't waste it on things that are not aligned with your goals. Hopefully this channel serves as a resource to help you get closer to your goals. Big thank you to Andrew Huberman for sharing this useful information. If you like this video and want to help create more, please support After Skool on Patreon. Thank you! www.patreon.com/AfterSkool
One of the most powerful tips I ever read which I employ regularly: when starting a new project, write the words "THIS IS FOCUS" in very large letters at the top of the page. Continue to write it, cascading down the page, making the letters smaller and smaller until you can't write them any longer. Exactly the same principle.
"Your attention is your most valuable asset. Dont waste it on things that are not aligned with your goals". Yes, definitely. Your attention is the most valuable thing to others as well. If they can convince you that your goals are aligned with giving them all your attention, then that seems rational and is what we will do. Salespeople call it "Closing the deal".
Reading for about 30 minutes (in the morning) of some historical or philosophical texts helps me to stay focused throughout a day. And I am structural engineer. I learned about it about a year ago and assumed that it is just "repeating coincidence"! 😅
There's a book called Hidden Time Wealth, and it talks about how using some secret techniques, you can overcome procrastination and accomplish anything in life. It's not just a bunch of empty promises; it's the real deal.
The visual focus practice feels very similar to my favourite way of entering a focused mindset, which is a counting breaths meditation where you count each in and out breath while remaining aware of the movements of your breath in the body. You check in with your brain frequently to be aware of what your attention is on, if it’s wandered from your breath then you restart the count. From doing this I start at not being able to focus on it for even 3 seconds and get to 30seconds or longer and afterward focussing on something is so much easier. I believe becoming relaxed is also tied to improved focus (just not too relaxed too the point of sleepiness). ❤
This was informative. I've always had a strong sense of focus. I remember as I kid I could focus on something so intently, without blinking my mom would think it was creepy and would break my attention. I think I had a problem with focusing too much, I wouldn't sleep, eat or use the bathroom if I was focused on a project, work, homework assignments, or learning a new skill. However, over-focusing can make it hard for you to see the bigger picture or like me, neglect my basic needs. I would get burnt out, overwhelmed and exhausted yet, I won't take breaks which led to other issues as well. I had to learn to take breaks in between which was hard but, once I saw how I was able to perform even better when I gave myself time to breathe, I had to enforce them to have a better balance in my life.
Note to self: RULE: Mental focus follows visual 1.Behavioral practices are the best for enhancing focus & concentration. 2. Mental focus is anchored to our gaze's direction, thus focused gaze can stimulate mental concentration 3. Less often blinking might help to concentrate better. 4. If studying via audio sources, closed eyes are OK. (closed eyes = ↓distraction, ↑auditory attention, e.g. blind people, musicians) 5. Smartphone is an machine designed to grab & hold your attention for as long as possible, be aware 6. Motion pictures are good for entertainment, not for focus & deep learning 7. The more challenging the information source the better it is for the focus training (books vs simplified insta reel) 8. Focus for transformation rather than information (long lasting & boring sessions of deep work will give you more) 9. 90 min bouts of learning/work with 5-10 min warm-up, ~60 min of pure concentration and 10-20 min of loose focus peaks should work 10. Eliminate distractions prior to your working/learning bout 11. Don't be scared of attention drifts, just return and re-anchor your attention to the task, like muscles this "mental muscle of re-anchoring" can be trained 12. We have only 24 hours each day, so know when you are the most alert to enhance your efforts (usually, during early parts of the day people are more alert) 13. Hydrate your body, have a good night sleep (around 8h), use appropriate sources & amounts of caffeine 14. All day focus is an impossible task for most of us, use 90 min focus (ultradian) cycles during the day and reserve some time for other deliberate disengagement activities (physical exercises, social interactions etc.) 15. Like any skill attention can be learned & perfected, just keep going Thanks for sharing this content with us for absolute zero-cost, you are amazing human begins!
Thank you very much. I have noticed that some of my routine already incorporated some of your advice, like meditating and staring at a point. But now I know THE WHY.
UA-cam is so so good at leveraging this. Why can you skip it in 5 seconds? Because that's all they need. If your focusing, and that pops in when you don't anticipate it, and it burns a hole in your brain. Literally started typing this after a commercial because I lost focus and feel that image from the commercial burned in my eyeballs and creating agitation, not learning. Should be common knowledge that this is bad for everyone.
Wow! Thank you for the information. When I hear people speak to me I have to be close so I can hear their words and focus on what they are saying. It takes a lot of concentration, and if course losing hearing is challenging. On top of this trying to learn another language, and understand what is being said. I get so tired at the end of the day, I quickly fall asleep.
I used to use the visual focus training while meditating, however instead of actually focusing on something you can visually see it was an object I'd create in my mind with eyes closed. It's crazy when you see how little control you have over yourself when you begin the battle of self control over constant stimulation. It's well worth it though to actually overcome yourself for an entire day without temptation leading you back to distraction.
One time I had a dream where I could see everything in perfect clarity. Everything looked focused all at the same time. It was like high definition everything. It was unreal. I couldn't "focus" because I just naturally could see everything perfectly. I could only experience that in a dream where my eyes weren't real, but thanks to the dream I know exactly what it feels like to see everything "in focus."
Same. Maybe it's a non-judgement thing, maybe a trust thing, maybe it's just a higher sense of knowing. Maybe it's affected by unknown exposure to a peripheral drug, possibly from someone else in the vicinity. I can't explain why or how just what and you describe it well.
@@Metalgear222 I have no experience with any drugs. I don't even take aspirin, but right before viewing your comment, I was watching a video where one of my favorite magicians was saying that ayahuasca made him feel like a child again, like magic was real and he had fantastic powers like time travel and so on. In my dream, I didn't feel like a child, and the experience of seeing everything in focus felt perfectly natural. Still, I was struck by the concept that our brains are capable of processing much more information than the physical limitations of our eyes. That said, I didn't feel interconnected with the rest of the world in the dream. My sense of "I" was still completely present, not dead at all. Be that as it may, I do believe we are all interconnected, but it's more of a rational decision based on personal reflection, rather than a chemically-induced epiphany. Outside of my dreams, I have a lot of love for the world. Even for others I've never met, or who do horrible things, or wish ill upon me, I love them like a parent loves a child, unconditionally, even when they disappoint or upset me.
Self love taught me to focus on myself and on things that are going to matter at the moment. I no longer get tempted or distracted to do unnecessary things. I have no thrill for it anymore. Focused on being a better person more and more each day ❤
3:06 A benefit of only being able to focus well on one thing at a time is you can use that to take your focus off negative things by focusing on positive things. 9:57 Looking at people's body language or some visual that matches the audio helps me to listen and focus more. I don't like looking at people in real life tho cause it's uncomfortable. But closing the eyes can help some people do some activities like singing, playing instruments, or dancing, etc.
I close my eyes when I share deeper thoughts. I have aphantasia from birth and so I make the outside the inside (veiled, a curtain which translates the images I know exist into ideation and conception), which helps me to allow my unconscious mind to more easily bridge the gap to the conscious. I rarely actively think ahead, like even as I write this. My conscious mind isn't controlling the flow of what I'm writing, it's just perceiving it and fixing grammatical or spelling errors as I'm writing, acting as the analyzer which provides for the subconscious to flow along the course I'm trying to project. It's a really weird state of consciousness and I figured it out independently by questioning my experience, then found aphantasia when it was still fairly obscure in 2013-2015 or so.
"Attention can be learned" and yes, I'm actually re-learning it. After years of scrolling, which began way before my first smartphone, with forums and newsreaders, I feel my attention span and ability to focus and to learn have been shattered. Thanks for sharing these resources!
The way Hidden Time Wealth dives into the concept of productivity is mind-blowing. Hidden Time Wealth tips are pure gold, and I wish more people knew about them.
I think I agree with the point of this video 100% - I used to be so fukn active, did so much with my time but I got hurt and it slowed me down... and along the way I stopped doing anything and now I almost can't start at all!!! It is really troubling but I will admit there is also something attractive about just sitting back and constantly reading, watching some mindless videos but mostly videos on how this works, how to do that, etc... instructional and informative stuff so worth my time??? I am better now after years (years!) of tough going but just can't seem to get motivated for anything yet i still love learning and reading...
Yeah when i get distracted by the visuals of this video, i looked away to focus on the audio bc it's what i want to focus on. So cool that it also talked about it as i was doing it!
This was very useful thank you. Typically the videos I see on this subject (self-improvement or focus) are regurtitated information but this was actually quite informative. It feels like a real thing that can be trained and improved upon and it's not just typical scheduling or sleeping advice.
Hunting is what helped me train my focus for long periods of time, I will say though, that long periods of intense focus will tire you out more than anything!
Thank you Andrew, so so much. I think you are having a beautiful impact on people and your videos help me and so many others to enhance their quality of life! All the love from Germany.
Teachers in the classroom should watch this video so they can better understand how children can gain or lose focus and how this impacts learning. Even the task of reviewing and taking exams is highly affected by the child's ability to focus and concentrate.
In middle school, I had an enlightened Spanish teacher who allowed me to put my head down on my desk and listen intently in a state of being half-asleep. Whenever she called on me, she repeated her question and I always had the correct answer, so she allowed me to continue my "style" of paying attention. I still thank her for her tolerance and understanding.
I've been following After Skool and Andrew Huberman for a couple years, and this is hands down one of the best videos I've seen from either of them, which makes sense since they collaborated on it. Demonstrates the power of synergy. But damn, this was just top tier. I'm excited to try this stuff out and use my eyes to aid in focus.
This makes a lot of sense because I’ve always been able to focus well & have also had a problem with not blinking enough. My eyes get dry because of it.
Thank you doctor. All I was looking for to get focus, you served in 20 min. Genious animation made me focus better on the video. Also I learned to rest in between and not force to be focused all day.
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🎙️ *Introduction to Improving Focus* - Mental focus follows visual focus. - Visual system capabilities: blurry vs. laser-focused. - Plasticity starts with alertness, which can be triggered by various factors, including love, joy, fear, and pharmacological methods like caffeine. 01:21 ☕ *Alertness and Focus: Caffeine and Adderall* - Caffeine as a tool for increasing alertness. - Adderall's chemical similarity to amphetamine and its impact on alertness. - Caution on the potential issues and abuse of Adderall. 03:07 👀 *Visual Focus and Acetylcholine System* - Visual focus options: small region with detail vs. dilated gaze with less detail. - Relationship between visual focus and acetylcholine release. - Behavioral practices anchored in visual focus enhance depth and duration of focus. 04:57 🕊️ *Virgin's Eye Movement and Neural Activation* - Explanation of a virgin's eye movement. - Activation of neurons in the brainstem triggering norepinephrine, epinephrine, and acetylcholine release. - Importance of practicing visual focus at the specific distance relevant to the task. 08:11 👁️ *Visual Focus Practice for Improved Attention* - Practical advice for practicing visual focus. - Importance of fine visual images for higher attention levels. - The relationship between reduced blinking, focus, and maintaining a mental tunnel of focus. 09:35 🤔 *Attention Drift and Re-anchoring* - The natural drift of attention and the need to re-anchor it. - Strategies to maintain visual focus even as attention drifts. - The impact of blinking on maintaining mental focus. 13:00 📱 *Phone Usage, Movies, and Passive Experiences* - Phone design and its impact on limiting visual attention. - Caution on excessive consumption of passive content like movies. - Balancing neurochemical resources for active learning versus passive experiences. 15:45 ⏲️ *Duration of Focus and Learning Bouts* - Ideal duration of focused learning bouts (about 90 minutes). - The importance of eliminating distractions during focused learning. - Incorporating breaks and disengagement for effective plasticity. 17:08 ⏰ *Peak Alertness and Learning* - Understanding personal peak alertness during the day. - Aligning learning activities with peak alertness for optimal results. - Recognizing the valuable asset of peak alertness for meaningful tasks. 18:37 💡 *Attention as a Learnable Skill* - Attention as a learnable skill critical for neuroplasticity. - The need to avoid prolonged attempts to focus continuously. - Utilizing breaks and disengagement for accelerated plasticity. 19:56 🎧 *Conclusion and Further Resources* - Promoting the Huberman Lab podcast for more tools related to mental health, physical health, and performance. - Encouraging exploration of science-based tools on various platforms. - Providing links to Huberman Lab on social media and hubermanlab.com. Made with HARPA AI
I. needed. this. I feel like my attention is everywhere. I have so many tabs open. And the things I want to do, I feel defeated around and can't get done. Really need to limit the passive experiences.
thank you Huberman i alaways watch your videos to lear and grow as well as to improve my english. actually i am from Uzbekistan. bunch of "hello"s from uzbekistan
Hidden Time Wealth is so unique. I can’t believe I hadn’t heard about it sooner. It’s amazing how life-changing this can be for anyone battling procrastination.
This was great. I really resonate with the 90 minute performance cycles. Good advice. Several creative projects to get on to, so this gives me a solid way to go about it. Cheers!
This is incredible! I use three screens at work and at times I absolutely cannot focus on my work no matter how hard I try. I am going to start using just one screen when possible
This is very useful. Now I understand why I'm having such a hard time reading books for the past decade. I have been watching more and more movies and UA-cam videos, so whenever I attempt to read a book, I get restless and give up within an hour. I will try that 40 seconds focus thing and see if that helps to continue reading.
Such a powerful video, especially at a time for me when I was cutting out on many of the 'pleasure' driven tasks I unconsciously do. Thank you for what you do for humanity Dr Huberman & afterskool! 🙏
To everyone out there trying to improve focus on themselves, just know you can do it!!! Remember you got one life to live, so learn to believe in yourself, I love you 🤘🏻❤
I have adhd that is medically considered disabling, but I find that its much more manageable when I view tasks as self-care and growth than something I am forcing myself to do. I also find that quick forms of short clips of media like toktoks and reels and shorts are very consuming, so i just started avoiding them and only watching long videos or movies or shows if I want some low effort entertainment. I was honestly not suprised when he said adhd meds just increase alterness, because while mine help me become alert and willing to do things, the actual time I can focus is something I have to work on daily and train. Sleep, food, ect also affect it a lot more than some may think. Unmet physical needs leads to mental and emotional dysregulation.
I knew it. This explains why meditating on an object 10 inches from my face leads to more “non-dual and hyperspace experiences” than an object a few feet away.
Hey man, I'm a pianist composer and I'm blind. Thanks so so much for talking and explaining about visually empaired folks like myself... Yes. I have always had a very high capacity for focus and memorising sounds, music, numbers and what happened on such and such day quickly \. So yes, it's not so much a struggle for me but more a question of understanding in what I differ without falling into common place cliches. THanks a lot keep it up!!!
I'm 62 years old 😅 I'd have passed school with honors if I'd been able to learn with my instructor and information had been given to me with a system like After School 💯 😅😊🎉
Beautiful stuff guys. As someone who holds a podcast for helping aspiring entrepreneurs, it’s definitely a challenge having to build a platform and work my way around the attention span disorder happening in society. Nonetheless, the work you guys are doing is so important for bringing awareness to what really matters in life. Much love 🤲🏽🌱
Mr Andrew. True story: While I am listening to this video and emptying the dishwasher 😁, my older son came to me wanted to share with me something (while he still listening) he found interesting u said in Joe Rogan last podcast u did with him. What a coincidence. Thank u 💓
Thanks for sharing information that is more essential to each of us than all the politics, entertainment and social challenges we are flooded and confronted with everyday in a easy to understand way. Great content!
Thank you! When I really need to comprehend, I will close my eyes and just sit and listen. This allows me to visualize the words being spoken. I catch a lot of flack because others think I’m not paying attention. As far as my phone, I will turn it off and lock it up to give myself a break. This has been great information!
Thank you & huge respect for this priceless content Andrew. Specially times like this when everyone is competing for attention time this video is needed now more than ever.
thank you, this was so good and needed. I enjoyed the videos and the takeaways from this video are so interesting that I want to apply them right away. So innovative and appropriate
I find the opposite of this is also true. If you aim your eyes at a point, but focus on objects in the periphery, it is deeply relaxing, especially while in motion.
I got back into (the luxury of) reading by reading along with the audio book at the same time (Stephen Fry has many audio books). I went from drifting off by the bottom of the first page, to devouring a whole book (without accompanying audio) over a weekend.
Watching There video make me cried😢, I realise so many failure and dissapoint come from my lack of focus. I was crying because I not good enough, so many effort I put in.😢 These video give me A release and hope to starting my new life again.
I think about unearthly eldritch creatures of void, shadows, eyes and tentacles with angles and movements that defy what a three dimensional being should look like
This makes me feel better about looking away at nothing when listening. I do it out of habit because it helps me focus on what is being said. But have been told it comes off as rude
Always a pleasure to collaborate with After Skool to share science and health protocols. Thank you for the collaboration!
Big fan sir❤
WE LOVE YOUUUU ANDREWWW!!!
How many cones of attention do we have available to provide to tasks on a given day or in a single moment? And how can the dilation of time between sleep and blinking be related -- do we take microsleeps when we blink?
Oya I definitely have a bit of ADHD which is weird because I was an extremely focused child. I can still focus on things I enjoy really well but I can't seem to focus on my school work.
Big fan.... inhale sniff exhale, inhale sniff exhale, inhale sniff exhale. Focused... or emotions under control at least.
love the collab
SUMMARY (by me, AI-free):
* mental focus is linked to visual focus
* focus for 60-120 seconds on a very small region in front of you, e.g. a window on your screen
* the finer the visual image, and the more you can focus on it, the better your mental focus will be
* to focus auditory attention, close your eyes
* the typical learning bout should be 90 minutes (ultradian cycle chart @ 18:37)
* put the phone out of sight
* use your alert hours for useful activities, not for scrolling social media or watching TV
The rest of the video is interesting, but less actionable, except for what not to do:
* Adderall doesn't improve focus, it improves alertness
* people have given themselves ADHD by using smartphones and watching videos instead of reading
Thanks man
I wouldn't be so sure, my actionable list looks quite different to yours. that is a list of what only you took from the video. perspective.
Gracias
@@alicehaywood7763can we see it pls?
Thanks sir
I totally needed to hear the part when he says " Don't give up that period of time (when you're most alert) for things that are meaningless, useless or not aligned with your goals." That makes so much sense for me when it comes to focus while working remotely. Thank you Dr. Huberman and After Skool. Shout out to the awesome Lefty Artist of this channel!
The best example of this is school.
:3 One of my favourites, Andrew Huberman! Hehe. I saw this in my feed hours ago, but I didn't get to it till now. Hehe. Awesome! :3
@@UnschoolingCOM100% true
“A short attention span makes all of your perceptions and relationships shallow and unsatisfying.” Eckhart Tolle
Chill
@@mma4355 but it true 😂..
I love E.T.
Spittin facts. I’ve noticed it within myself these last few months as my self-control has diminished
:3 🎉One of my favourites, Andrew Huberman! Hehe. I saw this in my feed hours ago, but I didn't get to it till now. Hehe. Awesome! :3
“Thinking is difficult, that’s why most people judge.”--Lao Tzu
I was judging my thinking on this…
@@josephwirtz8352 LOL!! Have you heard of Internal Family Systems?? You might find it very interesting.......
Your attention is your most valuable asset. Don't waste it on things that are not aligned with your goals. Hopefully this channel serves as a resource to help you get closer to your goals. Big thank you to Andrew Huberman for sharing this useful information. If you like this video and want to help create more, please support After Skool on Patreon. Thank you! www.patreon.com/AfterSkool
Is there a way to contact you?
u have absolute right...
Pay attention 👁
Thx for your work! I really appreciate. Your collaboration with Andrew Huberman is just epic! 🙏👍
One of the most powerful tips I ever read which I employ regularly: when starting a new project, write the words "THIS IS FOCUS" in very large letters at the top of the page. Continue to write it, cascading down the page, making the letters smaller and smaller until you can't write them any longer. Exactly the same principle.
how is it exactly the same lil bro
"Your attention is your most valuable asset. Dont waste it on things that are not aligned with your goals".
Yes, definitely. Your attention is the most valuable thing to others as well. If they can convince you that your goals are aligned with giving them all your attention, then that seems rational and is what we will do. Salespeople call it "Closing the deal".
Reading for about 30 minutes (in the morning) of some historical or philosophical texts helps me to stay focused throughout a day. And I am structural engineer. I learned about it about a year ago and assumed that it is just "repeating coincidence"! 😅
There's a book called Hidden Time Wealth, and it talks about how using some secret techniques, you can overcome procrastination and accomplish anything in life. It's not just a bunch of empty promises; it's the real deal.
there is no such book
The visual focus practice feels very similar to my favourite way of entering a focused mindset, which is a counting breaths meditation where you count each in and out breath while remaining aware of the movements of your breath in the body. You check in with your brain frequently to be aware of what your attention is on, if it’s wandered from your breath then you restart the count. From doing this I start at not being able to focus on it for even 3 seconds and get to 30seconds or longer and afterward focussing on something is so much easier. I believe becoming relaxed is also tied to improved focus (just not too relaxed too the point of sleepiness). ❤
Great technique!
I always enjoy listening to Andrew Huberman! He is very skilled at explaining concepts in an easily digestible yet mentally stimulating fashion
This came at the perfect time for me as I know I’ve been distracted for some time and am ready to live a more intentional life. Thank you 🙏🏽
Amazing that our ancient Indian practice of Trataka advocates exactly the same. Thanks for putting this out there SO scientifically.
Huberman is a gift to this world
Mr. Huberman and After Skool are the best combo ever! Best thing in the morning!!!
Thankful for this channel & community. Hope everyone has a great day
9:40 This is absolutely true. I actually turn my ear toward the person I'm listening to. It does wonders for focusing on speech.
This was informative. I've always had a strong sense of focus. I remember as I kid I could focus on something so intently, without blinking my mom would think it was creepy and would break my attention. I think I had a problem with focusing too much, I wouldn't sleep, eat or use the bathroom if I was focused on a project, work, homework assignments, or learning a new skill. However, over-focusing can make it hard for you to see the bigger picture or like me, neglect my basic needs. I would get burnt out, overwhelmed and exhausted yet, I won't take breaks which led to other issues as well. I had to learn to take breaks in between which was hard but, once I saw how I was able to perform even better when I gave myself time to breathe, I had to enforce them to have a better balance in my life.
Note to self:
RULE: Mental focus follows visual
1.Behavioral practices are the best for enhancing focus & concentration.
2. Mental focus is anchored to our gaze's direction, thus focused gaze can stimulate mental concentration
3. Less often blinking might help to concentrate better.
4. If studying via audio sources, closed eyes are OK. (closed eyes = ↓distraction, ↑auditory attention, e.g. blind people, musicians)
5. Smartphone is an machine designed to grab & hold your attention for as long as possible, be aware
6. Motion pictures are good for entertainment, not for focus & deep learning
7. The more challenging the information source the better it is for the focus training (books vs simplified insta reel)
8. Focus for transformation rather than information (long lasting & boring sessions of deep work will give you more)
9. 90 min bouts of learning/work with 5-10 min warm-up, ~60 min of pure concentration and 10-20 min of loose focus peaks should work
10. Eliminate distractions prior to your working/learning bout
11. Don't be scared of attention drifts, just return and re-anchor your attention to the task, like muscles this "mental muscle of re-anchoring" can be trained
12. We have only 24 hours each day, so know when you are the most alert to enhance your efforts (usually, during early parts of the day people are more alert)
13. Hydrate your body, have a good night sleep (around 8h), use appropriate sources & amounts of caffeine
14. All day focus is an impossible task for most of us, use 90 min focus (ultradian) cycles during the day and reserve some time for other deliberate disengagement activities (physical exercises, social interactions etc.)
15. Like any skill attention can be learned & perfected, just keep going
Thanks for sharing this content with us for absolute zero-cost, you are amazing human begins!
Amazing summary, thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the summary
Thank you very much.
I have noticed that some of my routine already incorporated some of your advice, like meditating and staring at a point.
But now I know THE WHY.
I love that they actually made us focus by putting the target on the screen to see, live, how visual focus for 40 secs will help you
UA-cam is so so good at leveraging this. Why can you skip it in 5 seconds? Because that's all they need. If your focusing, and that pops in when you don't anticipate it, and it burns a hole in your brain. Literally started typing this after a commercial because I lost focus and feel that image from the commercial burned in my eyeballs and creating agitation, not learning. Should be common knowledge that this is bad for everyone.
Hence the importance of adblockers
and thats why i can watch these videos forever because they high contrast and dynamic
Humans, animals, living things are amazing and scary at the same time.
Thank you for this very real and precise video!
This info is worth more than years worth of working with the wrong therapists. Thank you for sharing
Wow! Thank you for the information. When I hear people speak to me I have to be close so I can hear their words and focus on what they are saying. It takes a lot of concentration, and if course losing hearing is challenging. On top of this trying to learn another language, and understand what is being said. I get so tired at the end of the day, I quickly fall asleep.
I used to use the visual focus training while meditating, however instead of actually focusing on something you can visually see it was an object I'd create in my mind with eyes closed.
It's crazy when you see how little control you have over yourself when you begin the battle of self control over constant stimulation.
It's well worth it though to actually overcome yourself for an entire day without temptation leading you back to distraction.
One time I had a dream where I could see everything in perfect clarity. Everything looked focused all at the same time. It was like high definition everything. It was unreal. I couldn't "focus" because I just naturally could see everything perfectly. I could only experience that in a dream where my eyes weren't real, but thanks to the dream I know exactly what it feels like to see everything "in focus."
Same. Maybe it's a non-judgement thing, maybe a trust thing, maybe it's just a higher sense of knowing. Maybe it's affected by unknown exposure to a peripheral drug, possibly from someone else in the vicinity. I can't explain why or how just what and you describe it well.
Lucid dreaming. I love it. 😍🥰
This is possibly physically in this reality too with DMT and Ayahuasca. Seeing the big picture and the death of I
@@Metalgear222 I have no experience with any drugs. I don't even take aspirin, but right before viewing your comment, I was watching a video where one of my favorite magicians was saying that ayahuasca made him feel like a child again, like magic was real and he had fantastic powers like time travel and so on. In my dream, I didn't feel like a child, and the experience of seeing everything in focus felt perfectly natural.
Still, I was struck by the concept that our brains are capable of processing much more information than the physical limitations of our eyes.
That said, I didn't feel interconnected with the rest of the world in the dream. My sense of "I" was still completely present, not dead at all.
Be that as it may, I do believe we are all interconnected, but it's more of a rational decision based on personal reflection, rather than a chemically-induced epiphany. Outside of my dreams, I have a lot of love for the world. Even for others I've never met, or who do horrible things, or wish ill upon me, I love them like a parent loves a child, unconditionally, even when they disappoint or upset me.
Stimulants can induce this effect
the most useful vid i watched in my life. Not even exaggerating.
Self love taught me to focus on myself and on things that are going to matter at the moment. I no longer get tempted or distracted to do unnecessary things. I have no thrill for it anymore. Focused on being a better person more and more each day ❤
As someone who severely struggles with adhd thank you for this video hard to find good actionable steps to scientifically improve attention and focus
Live healthy, and do something you love to do (turn hobby into job). Best wishes everybody 😊
Dr.Andrew has helped me so much since I discovered him precovid. Was delighted to see this collab.
3:06 A benefit of only being able to focus well on one thing at a time is you can use that to take your focus off negative things by focusing on positive things.
9:57 Looking at people's body language or some visual that matches the audio helps me to listen and focus more. I don't like looking at people in real life tho cause it's uncomfortable. But closing the eyes can help some people do some activities like singing, playing instruments, or dancing, etc.
I consistently double back to this video, it is the best compact resource of all the facts you need to make a change
Thank you, what an amazing collab this was. Props to the awesome artist. I totally lost focus when an ad popped up lol. Appreciate the information.
Watching the video more and more, taught me to focus more on the video.
I close my eyes when I share deeper thoughts. I have aphantasia from birth and so I make the outside the inside (veiled, a curtain which translates the images I know exist into ideation and conception), which helps me to allow my unconscious mind to more easily bridge the gap to the conscious.
I rarely actively think ahead, like even as I write this. My conscious mind isn't controlling the flow of what I'm writing, it's just perceiving it and fixing grammatical or spelling errors as I'm writing, acting as the analyzer which provides for the subconscious to flow along the course I'm trying to project.
It's a really weird state of consciousness and I figured it out independently by questioning my experience, then found aphantasia when it was still fairly obscure in 2013-2015 or so.
"Attention can be learned" and yes, I'm actually re-learning it. After years of scrolling, which began way before my first smartphone, with forums and newsreaders, I feel my attention span and ability to focus and to learn have been shattered. Thanks for sharing these resources!
Again You and dr Andrew maid a huge impact on me can't be enough gratfull for you both
The way Hidden Time Wealth dives into the concept of productivity is mind-blowing. Hidden Time Wealth tips are pure gold, and I wish more people knew about them.
These videos have changed my life. Thankyou
I think I agree with the point of this video 100% - I used to be so fukn active, did so much with my time but I got hurt and it slowed me down... and along the way I stopped doing anything and now I almost can't start at all!!! It is really troubling but I will admit there is also something attractive about just sitting back and constantly reading, watching some mindless videos but mostly videos on how this works, how to do that, etc... instructional and informative stuff so worth my time???
I am better now after years (years!) of tough going but just can't seem to get motivated for anything yet i still love learning and reading...
Love the animations. Holds my attention and helps me absorb the info. Thank you
Yeah when i get distracted by the visuals of this video, i looked away to focus on the audio bc it's what i want to focus on. So cool that it also talked about it as i was doing it!
Most his studies are simply giving spiritual practices scientific words and explaining it to a scientific audience.. Which is amazing.
Again wanted to add, SUCH a brilliant lesson on all things attention. Thanks Andrew!
This was very useful thank you. Typically the videos I see on this subject (self-improvement or focus) are regurtitated information but this was actually quite informative. It feels like a real thing that can be trained and improved upon and it's not just typical scheduling or sleeping advice.
So nice to hear some advice about focus that isn't the same thing I've heard vomited up by every other article
Hunting is what helped me train my focus for long periods of time, I will say though, that long periods of intense focus will tire you out more than anything!
Thank you Andrew, so so much. I think you are having a beautiful impact on people and your videos help me and so many others to enhance their quality of life! All the love from Germany.
Teachers in the classroom should watch this video so they can better understand how children can gain or lose focus and how this impacts learning. Even the task of reviewing and taking exams is highly affected by the child's ability to focus and concentrate.
In middle school, I had an enlightened Spanish teacher who allowed me to put my head down on my desk and listen intently in a state of being half-asleep. Whenever she called on me, she repeated her question and I always had the correct answer, so she allowed me to continue my "style" of paying attention. I still thank her for her tolerance and understanding.
Hidden Time Wealth blew my mind. I’ve shared it with friends, and they’re all amazed at how much more productive they've become.
I've been following After Skool and Andrew Huberman for a couple years, and this is hands down one of the best videos I've seen from either of them, which makes sense since they collaborated on it. Demonstrates the power of synergy. But damn, this was just top tier. I'm excited to try this stuff out and use my eyes to aid in focus.
Thank you!
@@AfterSkoolso to increase my concentration capacity to stare for 60 seconds at a point next to what I'm reading?
I really appreciate this video. A place where you can find unbiased indispensable information that makes sense.
Can’t even pay attention to this video
😂
😂
Stop browsing the comments!
Maybe they did it on purpose for this video but I can’t play the video unless UA-cam is open. Wtf
REAL
This makes a lot of sense because I’ve always been able to focus well & have also had a problem with not blinking enough. My eyes get dry because of it.
This came at the right time
Thank you doctor. All I was looking for to get focus, you served in 20 min. Genious animation made me focus better on the video. Also I learned to rest in between and not force to be focused all day.
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:00 🎙️ *Introduction to Improving Focus*
- Mental focus follows visual focus.
- Visual system capabilities: blurry vs. laser-focused.
- Plasticity starts with alertness, which can be triggered by various factors, including love, joy, fear, and pharmacological methods like caffeine.
01:21 ☕ *Alertness and Focus: Caffeine and Adderall*
- Caffeine as a tool for increasing alertness.
- Adderall's chemical similarity to amphetamine and its impact on alertness.
- Caution on the potential issues and abuse of Adderall.
03:07 👀 *Visual Focus and Acetylcholine System*
- Visual focus options: small region with detail vs. dilated gaze with less detail.
- Relationship between visual focus and acetylcholine release.
- Behavioral practices anchored in visual focus enhance depth and duration of focus.
04:57 🕊️ *Virgin's Eye Movement and Neural Activation*
- Explanation of a virgin's eye movement.
- Activation of neurons in the brainstem triggering norepinephrine, epinephrine, and acetylcholine release.
- Importance of practicing visual focus at the specific distance relevant to the task.
08:11 👁️ *Visual Focus Practice for Improved Attention*
- Practical advice for practicing visual focus.
- Importance of fine visual images for higher attention levels.
- The relationship between reduced blinking, focus, and maintaining a mental tunnel of focus.
09:35 🤔 *Attention Drift and Re-anchoring*
- The natural drift of attention and the need to re-anchor it.
- Strategies to maintain visual focus even as attention drifts.
- The impact of blinking on maintaining mental focus.
13:00 📱 *Phone Usage, Movies, and Passive Experiences*
- Phone design and its impact on limiting visual attention.
- Caution on excessive consumption of passive content like movies.
- Balancing neurochemical resources for active learning versus passive experiences.
15:45 ⏲️ *Duration of Focus and Learning Bouts*
- Ideal duration of focused learning bouts (about 90 minutes).
- The importance of eliminating distractions during focused learning.
- Incorporating breaks and disengagement for effective plasticity.
17:08 ⏰ *Peak Alertness and Learning*
- Understanding personal peak alertness during the day.
- Aligning learning activities with peak alertness for optimal results.
- Recognizing the valuable asset of peak alertness for meaningful tasks.
18:37 💡 *Attention as a Learnable Skill*
- Attention as a learnable skill critical for neuroplasticity.
- The need to avoid prolonged attempts to focus continuously.
- Utilizing breaks and disengagement for accelerated plasticity.
19:56 🎧 *Conclusion and Further Resources*
- Promoting the Huberman Lab podcast for more tools related to mental health, physical health, and performance.
- Encouraging exploration of science-based tools on various platforms.
- Providing links to Huberman Lab on social media and hubermanlab.com.
Made with HARPA AI
I. needed. this. I feel like my attention is everywhere. I have so many tabs open. And the things I want to do, I feel defeated around and can't get done. Really need to limit the passive experiences.
Bless up for this episode 🙏🏽
thank you Huberman i alaways watch your videos to lear and grow as well as to improve my english. actually i am from Uzbekistan. bunch of "hello"s from uzbekistan
Thank you for releasing these extraordinary videos.
Hidden Time Wealth is so unique. I can’t believe I hadn’t heard about it sooner. It’s amazing how life-changing this can be for anyone battling procrastination.
This was great. I really resonate with the 90 minute performance cycles. Good advice. Several creative projects to get on to, so this gives me a solid way to go about it. Cheers!
This is incredible! I use three screens at work and at times I absolutely cannot focus on my work no matter how hard I try.
I am going to start using just one screen when possible
This is critical in an age of digital distraction. Thanks!
The concept of Hidden Time Wealth blew my mind. It’s like finding a cheat code for productivity and defeating procrastination.
Thank you Huberman, content was great very informative.
This is very useful. Now I understand why I'm having such a hard time reading books for the past decade. I have been watching more and more movies and UA-cam videos, so whenever I attempt to read a book, I get restless and give up within an hour. I will try that 40 seconds focus thing and see if that helps to continue reading.
Such a powerful video, especially at a time for me when I was cutting out on many of the 'pleasure' driven tasks I unconsciously do. Thank you for what you do for humanity Dr Huberman & afterskool! 🙏
Thank you so much for all the information and taking your time to explain them. May Gid richly bless you and your family
To everyone out there trying to improve focus on themselves, just know you can do it!!! Remember you got one life to live, so learn to believe in yourself, I love you 🤘🏻❤
I have adhd that is medically considered disabling, but I find that its much more manageable when I view tasks as self-care and growth than something I am forcing myself to do. I also find that quick forms of short clips of media like toktoks and reels and shorts are very consuming, so i just started avoiding them and only watching long videos or movies or shows if I want some low effort entertainment. I was honestly not suprised when he said adhd meds just increase alterness, because while mine help me become alert and willing to do things, the actual time I can focus is something I have to work on daily and train. Sleep, food, ect also affect it a lot more than some may think. Unmet physical needs leads to mental and emotional dysregulation.
I knew it. This explains why meditating on an object 10 inches from my face leads to more “non-dual and hyperspace experiences” than an object a few feet away.
Wow! Very interesting. I will try it some time...
Hey man, I'm a pianist composer and I'm blind. Thanks so so much for talking and explaining about visually empaired folks like myself... Yes. I have always had a very high capacity for focus and memorising sounds, music, numbers and what happened on such and such day quickly \. So yes, it's not so much a struggle for me but more a question of understanding in what I differ without falling into common place cliches. THanks a lot keep it up!!!
I'm 62 years old 😅 I'd have passed school with honors if I'd been able to learn with my instructor and information had been given to me with a system like After School 💯 😅😊🎉
One of my favourites, Andrew Huberman! Hehe. I saw this in my feed hours ago, but I didn't get to it till now. Hehe. Awesome! :3
Beautiful stuff guys. As someone who holds a podcast for helping aspiring entrepreneurs, it’s definitely a challenge having to build a platform and work my way around the attention span disorder happening in society. Nonetheless, the work you guys are doing is so important for bringing awareness to what really matters in life. Much love 🤲🏽🌱
Mr Andrew. True story: While I am listening to this video and emptying the dishwasher 😁, my older son came to me wanted to share with me something (while he still listening) he found interesting u said in Joe Rogan last podcast u did with him. What a coincidence. Thank u 💓
Wild how this got recommended to me right after I took twice my normal ADHD prescription dose. Algorithm synchronicity ❤
Thank you for sharing your solutions on how to better focus. I find your lectures and short videos helpful.
Thanks for sharing information that is more essential to each of us than all the politics, entertainment and social challenges we are flooded and confronted with everyday in a easy to understand way. Great content!
Hey! Just watching a 20 minute UA-cam video on focus is a great first step! Well played After Skool! lol I love this channel so much!
Ma boi pulling Homelander for thumbnail 💀
Thank you! When I really need to comprehend, I will close my eyes and just sit and listen. This allows me to visualize the words being spoken. I catch a lot of flack because others think I’m not paying attention. As far as my phone, I will turn it off and lock it up to give myself a break. This has been great information!
Thank you & huge respect for this priceless content Andrew. Specially times like this when everyone is competing for attention time this video is needed now more than ever.
thank you, this was so good and needed. I enjoyed the videos and the takeaways from this video are so interesting that I want to apply them right away. So innovative and appropriate
I find the opposite of this is also true. If you aim your eyes at a point, but focus on objects in the periphery, it is deeply relaxing, especially while in motion.
"A" Huberman glad to see him on AfterSkool 🙏
*Instructions unclear, I can't even focus on this video*
I got back into (the luxury of) reading by reading along with the audio book at the same time (Stephen Fry has many audio books). I went from drifting off by the bottom of the first page, to devouring a whole book (without accompanying audio) over a weekend.
Awesome strategy!
Currently procrastinating by watching this video
Always a gold mine of relative and easily applicable information. Very helpful, very well done. Thank you guys.
Watching There video make me cried😢, I realise so many failure and dissapoint come from my lack of focus. I was crying because I not good enough, so many effort I put in.😢 These video give me A release and hope to starting my new life again.
You become whatever you think about all day long.
I think about unearthly eldritch creatures of void, shadows, eyes and tentacles with angles and movements that defy what a three dimensional being should look like
I think about sexy women all day long. I am not a sexy woman; but they sure throw themselves at me.
@@Cobbido Heh heh!!
This makes me feel better about looking away at nothing when listening. I do it out of habit because it helps me focus on what is being said. But have been told it comes off as rude
This entire video explained in one sentence:
If you want to focus on something, look at it closely, and don't look away from it.