How to Get Your Brain to Focus | Chris Bailey | TEDxManchester

Stop reading the comments, and focus on the video

I've learnt so much from youtube. Without it I wouldnt be who I am now, but at the same time I know it distracts me from my goals and causes procrastination. Its such a double edged sword.

I literally can’t even pray without thinking of another thought. I NEEDED this video

00:00 Reducing screen time improves attention span 02:14 Eliminating a simple device led to improved focus, more ideas, and plans for the future. 04:34 Our brains crave distraction and are overstimulated 06:31 Taking a break from technology can improve focus and creativity 08:34 Letting your mind wander in scatter focus mode can lead to brilliant ideas. 10:30 Letting your mind wander can boost creativity 12:14 We need more space and less stimulation to improve focus. 00:35 Less stimulation leads to a better life

Me preparing for exams be like: 10% of studying 90% of watching how to study videos

" WE'RE DOING DO MUCH THAT OUR MIND NEVER WANDERS ANYMORE AND IT'S SAD. " Man that hit me.

I watch TEDx Talks videos to improve my english, but while improving my english i am also getting a lot of knowledge which is opening my mind to how to think and how to take actions in life, and this video is something amazing because i do these activities which he said and it helps me a lot because social media evacuate our mind by grabbing our whole attention, and if you put your phone aside and sit in an open space you will feel how beautiful our life is and we are filled with so many creative ideas [life is not about watching a phone or getting happy, life is about watching things that we are surrounded with and to create something special from them]~manjeet jat

I've had social media uninstalled for about 3 months. You truly are able to achieve a peace of mind and a stronger self awareness. I feel that today's social media creates a constant feeling of missing out which will drag on throughout some people's days and make them believe their life as boring. But truly you are only missing out on life if you are held in a state kf believe that you are missing out.

I have been off social media for 38 days and have came up with more life realizations and business/ life plans that I ever thought possible. I can also read for hours upon hours on end getting so dived up in what im reading that I forget the time. My mind simply has no reason to get distracted because there is nothing to distract my mind. This stuff works, where attention goes, energy flows! goodluck my friends

key learnings: 1. do your homework now, YES NOW 2. make yourself bored for a month (by getting rid of distracting things and entertainment like cellphone) 3. focus on the most important things you need to do 4. minimize/avoid distractions

For years I (half) joke with friends how much I love standing in lines. I love being at the store and waiting, because I get some of my best thinking done. People talk about how fast time goes by, but I do love to think about how much it can slow down when waiting. I have subscribed for a very long time to the art of "blankly staring off into space" because I know how good it is for my brain. It can be hard (especially because my work is socializing and online and keeping up with all the things all the time) but it's so very important. Especially as a creative who has to come up with content. Gotta let that brain simmer to get stuff done! Nice Ted Talk Mr. Bailey.

This is a lecture. It is really what my mind need at this point in my life. Thank you TEDX and Chris Bailey.

Nobody: You: Trying to watch the entire video without any distraction "...Ouuuu the comment section!"

This has to be the best TEDx video I've ever watched. The way Chris explains everything in such an articulate manner and the fact the I could relate to almost everything he has said has really struck me. Thank you Chris for your amazing research and effort!

Coming from his book, Hyperfocus. It has changed the way i have always thought of focusing. This ted talk is a summary of his book. Exceptional research. I am thankful to him as a student.

I'm an English student, and this guy speaks so clearly that I can understand pretty much everything, thank you so much for the content!

As of today: -I am going to eat my meals without watching any Youtube videos or TV series, just going to sit and eat my meal savorily. -I am going to do my chores without listening to any kind of music or podcasts. -I am going to study without listening to any lo-fi songs (the most challenging one i guess :p) -When I want to listen to music, I'm going to lie on my bed, put on my headphones and enjoy the song I'm listening. I have an exam a week later and, as a medical student, I really need my brain to focus. So if this challenge affect my focusing ability, I will inform you guys. Wish me luck!

I’m glad I came across this video. Recently, working from home, I’ve realized I’m not able to focus at work/meetings. I feel like my head and eyes are so heavy. I now realize all the extra screens and tablets and phones that’s around me are stimulating my mind constantly to pay attention to one thing. I’ll practice boredom for two weeks and I hope to see positive results. Thank you.

This TED Talk was fantastic. Lately, I feel like we try to do so much for our business, work, etc that it does just become a overwhelming distraction. I have to use my cell phone for clients, marketing, social media, etc so it will be interesting to see if Chris wrote something for sales professionals as I am a realtor that feels like I live and die by the cell phone. I am going to try and implement his 2-week challenge.

Summary: Use less technology and destimulate your mind for increased focus and ideas Speaker tells about various screens he sees all throughout the day and decides to take a phone-detox and noticed three things: 1) Attention span grew 2) More Ideas 3) More plans Speaker did extensive research about the effect of technology on attention span. Speaker says that the symptom is that our brains are distracted but the deeper issue Is our brain crave distractions. Technology has a lot of stimulation which causes good-feeling hormones in the brain. It takes 8 days for the brain to adjust to less simulation. Above points 2 and 3 is because we allow our brains to wander - scatterfocus mode(or diffused mode) in which we think about the future half of the time. Ideas come when we are relaxed - our full attention is not captured. We like to think that ' Distraction is the enemy of focus' but the speaker says that over-stimulation is the real cause. Speaker has a 2-week challenge to reduce stimulation: Make your mind less stimulated- waste less time on the phone and disconnect every day. Rediscover boredom and scatter-focus.