The Battle for Attention, Part 1: Getting Back Our Focus—Effortlessly

This article is based on the ideas discussed in the paper:  Effortless training of attention and self-control: mechanisms and applications

There’s a Japanese concept called Tsundoku—the habit of buying books and letting them pile up on a shelf, waiting to be read. Some see it as a charming reflection of curiosity, a way to build a knowledge base filled with things we don’t yet know but want to learn. Nassim Taleb calls this the antilibrary in The Black Swan. Others argue it’s simply procrastination—an accumulation of postponed intentions.

I’ve had my own Tsundoku for as long as I can remember. But when smartphones arrived—bringing endless distractions—my Tsundoku shifted toward pure accumulation and zero reading. I would hold a book and think, I really want to read this, but I just don’t have time.

Then came the pandemic. I couldn’t go out, or work, and have no culinary talent. This is the perfect time to get back to reading! I thought. But to my shock, I couldn’t focus on a book for more than 10 minutes. It was painful.

My attention had been stolen, and I barely noticed. That moment marked the beginning of a long journey to detox my brain and regain my focus.

Attention span is the lens through which we experience the world—it’s how long we can stay focused on a single thing. Imagine it as a spectrum: at one end, a Buddhist monk who can meditate for weeks without losing focus; at the other, a goldfish, supposedly unable to concentrate for more than 10 seconds (though this is a myth). Most of us fall somewhere in between, but scientists are still debating exactly where.

Have you noticed changes in your attention span over the years?

Even if you’re not a big reader, you consume information every day. Humans are natural information processors—we use it to build our memories, shape our understanding, and make sense of the world. Controlling our attention means controlling our perception of reality, how we spend our time, what we desire, and even how we think. It’s no exaggeration to say that we are our attention.

This is arguably our greatest superpower. It’s the foundation of all skills. We learn by paying attention—whether it’s to language, music, or problem-solving. For knowledge workers, it is the pillar of creativity and productivity. As Cal Newport argues in his book, “Focus is the new IQ”: Focused attention creates deep work, and deep work creates meaningful output.

But attention is not just about focus—it’s about control. More specifically, self-control: our ability to regulate thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in alignment with our goals. And who wouldn’t want more of that?

If you dedicate attention to one task, you have less for others— because multitasking is a myth. This idea that it is a finite resource is known as ego depletion. It’s closely linked to our ability to maintain self-control because our brains burn through their daily supply of attention in three key ways:

1. Alerting: Staying aware of our environment.
2. Orienting: Understanding our place in time and space.
3. Executive Attention: Resolving conflicts between thoughts, emotions, and actions. 

While each function operates through different brain regions, executive attention and self-control share the same neural circuits, meaning that they are closely intertwined. Attention is essentially the software for self-control.

So, can we upgrade it?

For the past 50 years, cognitive scientists have assumed that training attention and self-control must require active effort. Not by sweating, but by thinking: Many training programs propose task repetitions with increasingly demanding levels of difficulty and effort.

However, the brain has two modes:

• Sympathetic attention – Effortful, consuming brain resources to maintain alertness.
• Parasympathetic attention – Effortless, promoting focus and memory through relaxation.

 Brainly speaking, these are complementary systems. The sympathetic system keeps us in a state of high alert, while the parasympathetic system allows us to conserve energy and engage in deeper, more sustainable focus—and thus we experience it as effortless. We are used to calling out our attention in sympathetic mode, and the majority of training is in this mode.

but what if we could engage our parasympathetic system for effortless attention?

Most self-control strategies rely on avoiding temptation. For example, I won’t buy chocolate at the supermarket so I won’t eat it later. But it’s impossible to avoid temptation completely, and avoiding it actually requires additional effort—which gets things worse. Sustained avoidance can even be harmful in the long run.

The key to effortless attention appears to be an attention-balanced state (ABS): instead of forcing focus, we observe awareness naturally, without controlling or suppressing thoughts. This contrasts with our usual state, where we either cling to or resist mental experiences. ABS promotes an open, flexible mode of attention, making effortless focus a new habit over time.

You might associate ABS with mindfulness, and you’d be right. The practice of not thinking about anything in particular—which is really hard—happens to be very useful for regulating our sympathetic attention and shifting it toward effortlessness. Mindfulness doesn’t have to be painful; there are plenty of different approaches.

One powerful technique is Nondual Awareness—a state where there’s no clear separation between ourselves and the world around us. There’s no “I” or “you,” just a unified experience. This differs from traditional meditation, which often requires active concentration. Think of moments when you’ve been completely immersed in a book, a movie, or playing an instrument—those are full of effortless attention.

 But mindfulness isn’t the only way to train effortless attention. Other effective strategies that have scientific support include:

• Nature Exposure: Spending time in natural environments or even viewing nature scenes can promote effortless attention.
• Flow Experience: Being fully absorbed in an activity with a perfect balance of challenge and skill. In flow states, time seems to disappear. Note how this is very similar to the nondual awareness status.

Research suggests that reduced control and effort can enhance cognitive performance, making effortless training an exciting frontier for improving attention and self-control. Effortless mindfulness practices can have a far-reaching effect on creativity.

Attention is more than a skill—it shapes how we experience life. By understanding and reclaiming it, we can regain control over our time, our thoughts, and ultimately, ourselves.

I reconnected with my Tsundoku once I realized that regaining control of my attention was the key. My Tsundoku isn’t just a pile of unread books to me; it’s a reminder of what I want to explore.

To me, reclaiming focus is not about productivity—it’s making space for the curiosity that led me to collect those books in the first place. The challenge wasn’t reading again—it was reclaiming the ability to immerse myself in what truly matters to me.

Research on effortless training is still in its early stages, and we must find our own ways to reclaim attention. Trying not to try so hard is at the core of effortless attention, and we can cultivate it through mindful, intentional practices. It might take some effort at first, but we have the tools. Instead of trying to avoid distractions (which is nearly impossible), focus on building effortless attention. Research techniques that might work for you. Experiment with them. Take notes.

Want to learn a new language? Finish that novel you started years ago? Pick up painting or the guitar? Have meaningful conversations with your loved ones?

Regain your attention first.