Attention Deficit Disorder: 7 ways to reclaim your attention

Attention Deficit Disorder (and ADHD) is on the rise. If you struggle to concentrate, focus, or suffer from brain fog, you’re not alone. Millions of us are finding it more difficult to manage our attention mechanism. How has it got like this?

In this post I’ll explore some of the reasons why we’re losing our ability to focus (and the problems this causes). And I’ll offer 7 ways you can combat Attention Deficit Disorder (in yourself or your kids) without having to resort to the use of mind altering medications.

It’s time to reclaim your attention!

How your attention has been stolen

In his ground-breaking best selling book, Stolen Focus (1), author Johann Hari highlights the pitfalls of the modern world and, in particular, technology. He speaks about how screens, apps, and social media have stolen our attention, making concentration and focus so much harder than it should be.

But the downside of stolen attention doesn’t stop there…

It leads to heightened emotionality (and consequently an inability to think clearly), stress, poor sleep, anxiety, depression and a disconnection with other people (friends and family). In some people it leads to a clinical diagnosis of ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or ADHD (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder).

Hari argues that Big Tech is driven by a business model whose main objective is to keep you on screen, endlessly scrolling until you make a purchase. You’ve only got to look at people on the Tube, buses, trains, and in the street to see how well the model is working; everyone is hypnotized by their phones.

James Williams, former advertising strategist at Google argues that the struggle to win back control of our attention is ‘the defining moral and political struggle of our time.’ He quit his job at Google when he realised he was suffering from a ‘new mode of deep distraction’ and an immersion in a ‘proliferation of pettiness’.

He points out that Big Tech is involved in a major reorganization of our attention and that we are in danger of losing control over our attention mechanism whenever we pursue the diversions presented to us by Silicon Valley billionaires. (2)

What is Attention Deficit Disorder?

Before we look more closely at Attention Deficit Disorder we need to distinguish it from its ‘cousin’, ADHD. The latter has an added element – hyperactivity. We are hearing more and more about this in children (especially in the U.S.) where kids in the classroom can’t sit still or concentrate for more than a few minutes at a time (3).

Worryingly, increasing numbers of kids are being prescribed mind-altering drugs to address the problem. The danger is that the long-term effects of these drugs have not been researched. What are they doing to your child’s brain?

This treatment approach is based on the belief that ADD (and ADHD) are caused by genetic factors. But ADD and ADHD have increased exponentially over the last 40 odd years. Human genes simply don’t change that quickly so there must be something else going on…

Hari argues that we need to have a wider perspective when trying to understand (and treat) attention problems in ourselves and our kids and that it is often the environment in which we live, work and play that determines our ability to focus and concentrate.

A toxic environment at home, school or work will undermine our ability to meet important emotional needs, raising stress levels, resulting in the more primitive emotional brain taking control. We become hyper-alert, restless, unable to be fully present in the here and now, as if we’re constantly looking for potential danger or arousal.

The main symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder

If you (or your child) meet any of the following criteria, you might be labelled as someone with ADD (and be prescribed medication).

Here is a list of common symptoms the experts in Attention Deficit Disorder look for…

• Difficulty in giving attention to details or careless mistakes in work, schoolwork, or other activities
• Often has trouble staying focused on tasks or play activities
• Often does not seem to be listening when spoken to directly and/or is easily distracted
• Avoids, dislikes, or doesn’t want to do things that take a lot of mental effort for long periods of time (such as schoolwork or homework)
• Often loses things needed for tasks and activities (e.g. toys, school assignments, pencils, books, or tools)
• Often does not follow instructions and fails to finish schoolwork or projects
• Is often forgetful in day to day activities

What all this boils down to is an attention mechanism that’s gone awry…

You can’t focus. You can’t concentrate. You’re easily distracted. And you’re not really present in the moment.

This makes learning anything more difficult than it need be.

Screen addiction, advertising, and ADD

Is it any wonder that you (or your kids) can’t concentrate for more than a few minutes? Computers, smartphones, and tablets are constantly vying for your attention with endless information in the form of texts, emails, messages, notifications, and adverts.

The unending stream of information does not lend itself to providing a calm centre in our lives. Rather, it turns us into ‘data fetishists’. (Paul Doolan, quoted in Philosophy Now, Aug/Sept 2025)

Economist Herbert Simon stated that, “…information consumes the attention of its recipients [and] creates a poverty of attention.” (4)

Watch a YouTube, Instagram or TikTok video and there’s another more exciting one clamouring for your attention. Maybe this one will hit the spot, you wonder. Click and your attention is hijacked by another ‘influencer’ until you’re mindlessly – and endlessly – doom scrolling.

Same with the TV. In the UK we’re now being bombarded with adverts every 8 to 10 minutes. Our attention is hijacked and products – that, apparently we can’t do without – are shoved in our faces.

And have you noticed how everything is so fast – and noisy! Ads on TV and the internet always seem to be louder than the programme/video you were watching.

And then, of course, there is ‘surveillance capitalism’ where Alexa (and other algorithm bots) build a profile of your likes. Within days – and sometimes within hours – you’ll see an ad for that very thing popping up on your screen. (5)

What exactly is attention?

Just before we look at the ways you can combat Attention Deficit Disorder let’s spend a moment trying to understand exactly what we mean by this thing called ‘attention’.

‘Attention’ is derived from the Latin ad tendere, ‘to stretch toward’ and is closely related to the French word attendre, ‘to attend’ or ‘to wait for’.

It works in two main ways…

1. Involuntary attention is when your attention is captured by something unexpected, such as a loud noise, or when you’re relaxing with a book or with music and your phone pings you a notification or when you get a pop-up on your screen. When this happens your attention shifts in a new direction. You can try to ignore the distraction but your attention has already been notified and it’s hard to shut it off once it’s been alerted.
2. Voluntary attention is when you purposefully focus your attention on the task at hand. Think in terms of meditation when you direct your attention to, say, your breathing. Or you purposefully engage in a conversation with your partner over dinner. Or you put aside distractions as best you can and sit down to watch a movie or listen to music.

Voluntary attention can be seen as a ‘deeper’ form of attention where you become completely absorbed, engrossed, and fascinated. I would describe this as a trance state. It can lead to a sense of wonder, awe and rapture.

The trouble is that in a world of noise and haste there is no time for this deeper attention. In the current climate, where attention has become a form of ‘currency’ we pay to receive data, our capacity for awe and wonder has been significantly eroded. (6)

Attention Deficit Disorder and disconnection

These problems with attention were already becoming known way back in 2011…

In Alone Together: why we expect more from technology and less from each other author Sherry Turkle warned us that children really suffer from a deficit of human attention. (7)

As more and more of us spend our lives in front of screens (for both work and pleasure) we have little attention to give to our kids. Attention itself can be seen as a form of fuel. Many of us are running on empty.

Not only that, but spending hours in front of a screen sets a precedent; kids will do what we do. Before long, they are sitting at the dinner table staring at a screen instead of engaging in conversation. This results in kids experiencing parents who are physically close but who are mentally and emotionally miles away.

And the result? A deep feeling of disconnection from the people that matter most to us and with whom we share our lives. We live as ghosts to each other.

7 Ways To Naturally Combat Attention Deficit Disorder

So, if Big Tech is driven by a business model that has no interest in your wellbeing, what can you do yourself to get your attention back and, consequently, improve your focus, mood, sleep and overall health?

Here are 7 ways to steal back control of your attention mechanism and fully engage in life as it unfolds moment by moment. (And it doesn’t involve the use of any medication)…

1. Stop switching between tasks

When we switch attention (say, from reading an article to suddenly deciding to check our emails or text messages) we lose focus. And it takes time to get that focus back. The fact is that humans are not very good at multi-tasking.

So, switch off notifications on your phone and computer. Even better, switch off your phone entirely! Commit to one activity and stick to it. No checking emails, no texting, no social media when you’re in the middle of something else. (These things can be done later).

Johann Hari suggests coming off social media altogether (for certain amounts of time, say 3 to 6 months). Social media is designed to hijack your attention and keep you scrolling for eternity (until you eventually press the ‘buy now’ button).

Bottom line is, the less switching you do the more focus you’ll have.

2. Learn how to get into ‘flow’ states

A flow state is a trance-like state, often referred by sports people as ‘being in the zone’. (8)

When have you experienced this in your life? When do you lose yourself in whatever you’re doing?

Think about those experiences when time disappeared because you were so absorbed in something, such as a hobby or doing something deeply meaningful to you.

Absorbing your attention in this way – on something you enjoy – has an added benefit; it feels as if time slows down. And this will help you feel less stressed too.

Flow is exactly like hypnosis, a highly focused state of attention and absorption. Practicing hypnosis or meditation can exercise your attention muscle.

3. Let yourself daydream and play

Contrary to what teachers might have shouted at you in class, daydreaming is good for you. Letting your mind wander is not a loss of attention but a form of attention in its own right.

When you allow your mind to wander freely your right brain hemisphere gets involved as you reflect on things and recognise connections and patterns. In other words, right-brain attention sees things more holistically. This is what happens when we read stories or poetry.

Giving your attention space to roam in this way also stimulates your imaginative/creative energies to find solutions to problems. Indeed, many scientific breakthroughs arose in this way, such as Kekule’s discovery of the structure of benzene. (9)

And learning how to play again – like a child – is so vital to your wellbeing. Developing a child-like wonder and inquisitiveness will help you be more present, in the here and now.

4. Meet your emotional needs

When basic human needs go unmet your stress levels rise, putting the reactive/compulsive/emotional brain in charge. That’s the last thing you want if you suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder.

The needs we’re talking about include…

• Having emotional connections with others
• Feeling safe and secure in your environment
• Having a sense of control or autonomy in your life
• The need for goals, purpose and meaning
• The need for ‘downtime’ – time to be still and reflect
• And the need to keep learning new things

When emotional needs are met (and if you can remove yourself from toxic environments) the higher cortex regains command – the part of you that can focus and concentrate and think clearly.

Download an emotional needs audit and identify the stressors that steal your attention

5. Improve your sleep

Sleep is both a physical and psychological need. It de-arouses the previous day’s stresses during REM sleep and makes physical repairs during slow-wave sleep. But if you’re attention is glued to your phone late into the night, you can be almost certain that your sleep will be affected in some way.

For this reason, sleep experts are now saying we shouldn’t be using our phones in the two hours prior to going to sleep.

With the right balance of REM and non-REM sleep (and about 8 hours of total sleep per night) you’ll feel rested and re-energised upon waking, helping you to concentrate and control your attention mechanism better throughout the day.

RELATED CONTENT: Learn how to sleep better – starting tonight!

6. Get out in nature

We’ve long known that nature is good for us but it’s only in more recent times that we’ve learned how and why things like ‘forest bathing’ can produce profound changes in the mind-body system.

This is one of the reasons I started doing outdoor therapy sessions.

Out in nature we can learn to shift our attention away from the troubling thoughts and worries that feed depression. When we deeply immerse ourselves in, say, a woodland environment, listening attentively to the sounds of nature we forget all about our everyday concerns.

Our attention shifts from an inward focus (on thoughts, feelings, memories etc.) to an outward focus. We de-hypnotize ourselves from egoic mind games and fully connect to nature and life all around us.

In the language of Eckhart Tolle, we connect to ‘the power of now‘.

7. Seek the sacred

And finally, beyond nature itself, we can use our attention to connect more intimately to the philosophical and spiritual wisdom passed down through the ages. Indeed, it was Simone Weil who told us back in the early 20th century that contemplative attention gives us access to God.

D.H. Lawrence echoed this when he said that the act of ‘vivid attention’ was religious in its origin, an attempt of mankind to ‘draw more life into himself’. Lawrence likened the purest form of attention to prayer, involving faith and love. (10)

When we really give our attention to the other/Other, we transcend ourselves. This ‘sacred attention’ can become so ‘full’ that the ‘I’ disappears. We enter an ‘I-Thou’ relationship and this can lead to experiences of non-dual consciousness where subject (ourselves) and the object of our attention become one.

Attention Deficit Disorder – summary

By implementing some of the above you’ll soon notice your ability to pay attention starts to improve. But not only that; you’ll feel calmer, more able to learn better (because you can now concentrate), and more connected to the people you love. You’ll also feel more present to the mystery of life as it unfolds moment by moment.

The trouble is, of course, that regaining control over our attention mechanisms will take time; time that has been hijacked by the hypnotizing, brainwashing tactics of Big Tech.

We no longer have time to linger because new information is constantly bombarding our senses and demanding our attention. Intense attentiveness to what is truly important in our lives is being banished by destructive hyperactivity and a fuzzy focus on triviality.

But all is not lost. Here in the UK mobile phones are being banned outright in schools. This is a start. And, like Australia, maybe we’ll be brave enough to ban Social Media to under 16s.

And as adults, we can exercise our responsibility for the wellbeing of ourselves and our families by standing up to these tyrannising, bully-boy tactics and take back control of our attention mechanisms.

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I’d love to hear what you think about this post. Please leave a comment after the notes below (and if you implement some of the ideas I’d love to know how you got on).

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Notes and references

(1) Stolen Focus – why you can’t pay attention, 2023, Johann Hari

(2) Stand Out of the Light: Freedom and Resistance in the Attention Economy, 2018, James Williams

(3) The rise in ADHD in kids – What’s behind the increase in ADHD? | Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR)

(4) Designing Organizations for an Information-Rich World, 1971, Herbert Simon

(5) Surveillance capitalism: what you need to know – Harvard professor says surveillance capitalism is undermining democracy – Harvard Gazette

(6) Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life, 2009, Winifred Gallagher

(7) Alone Together: why we expect more from technology and less from each other, 2011, Sherry Turkle

(8) For more on flow states see the work of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced ‘cheek-sent-me-high-ee’) The ‘flow state’: Where creative work thrives – BBC Worklife

(9) How Kekule solved the benzene puzzle in a daydream – Chemical Anniversaries: 1865 – Kekulé’s benzene ring – Collins | Freedom to Teach

(10) Etruscan Places, 1932, D.H. Lawrence

The featured image for this post is by Bianca Castillo

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