What does it mean to 'pay attention'

If you have read my previous post on executive functions (link below), you know that attention is a foundational skill for learning. Attention is a word that is used all the time, we tell kids to pay attention, we notice when we are struggling to pay attention, our attention is constantly being pulled in so many directions.

Before you tell a child to pay attention you need to make sure you understand what that means. Attention is not one skill, but several. Attention includes the ability to

Perceive yourself and your environment
Direct and control your attention
Sustain your attention on tasks that are interesting as well as tasks that are less interesting.

Even though we use the word attention all the time, most people do not understand a fundamental aspect of attention. Many of us think it's possible to multitask. As adults, we are constantly switching between tasks, especially now that we all have a little electronic rectangle in our pockets with unlimited information and forms of distraction.

But the idea of "multitasking" is not actually possible. From a neurological standpoint, you are unable to pay attention to two things at once. I want you to imagine your attention is like a flashlight. Imagine you are cooking dinner and talking with a friend. You are also texting your other friend who hasn’t arrived yet

Most of us have been taught that in this situation, our attention is like this. We have been taught that we can do several things at once.

Flashlight with brain on bottom and light shining on three words: friend, dinner, phone

But what is actually happening is this.

You are task switching. You are not doing two things at once. Your attention is bouncing back and forth. Just like a flashlight, your attention can only point in one direction at a time. Amishi Jha, one of the top researchers on attention, uses this metaphor to explain what it means to 'pay attention'

"Wherever it is that we direct that flashlight, we get privileged access. It’s a very, very powerful thing to do. Now I didn’t say flashlights, I said flashlight, because frankly, this is a singular brain process, meaning we devote and constrain all of the brain’s resources to privilege whatever we direct our attention toward." - Amishi Jha

The reason this is so important is that it has been shown repeatedly that the act of task switching has a cost. A rather steep cost. Multitasking not only isn't possible, but because we are trying to multitask all the time, we are not only decreasing our attention, but so many other important skills.

So if you spend your time (task) switching a lot, then the evidence suggests you will be slower, you’ll make more mistakes, you’ll be less creative, and you’ll remember less of what you do.” - Johann Hari

So before we can expect kids to pay attention, especially kids with ADHD and executive function challenges, we have to understand what it means to pay attention. What helps attention, what hurts attention and what is actually possible for our brain to do.

Check out my instagram post where I explain why this is so important for kids and tips on how to help kids improve their attention.

Please visit our homepage to inquire about speech, language and executive function services for kids and teens in North Carolina. Consultation and parent coaching services also available! Or sign up for a FREE 20 minute consultation to learn more about how we can help!

References

Hari, Johann. "Stolen focus." New York : Crown, 2021.

Jha, Amishi. "Peak Mind". HarperOne, 2021.

Muhmenthaler MC, Meier B. Different impact of task switching and response-category conflict on subsequent memory. Psychol Res. 2021 Mar;85(2):679-696. doi: 10.1007/s00426-019-01274-3. Epub 2019 Dec 5. PMID: 31802223; PMCID: PMC7900092.

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