Spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle once said, “Awareness is the greatest agent for change.” This applies to our ability to direct our attention. In a world designed for distraction, developing focused awareness is important for shutting out the noise and focusing the mind on what matters most. In her book Peak Mind, cognitive neuroscientist Amishi Jha explores the science behind attention and how simple mindfulness techniques can improve cognitive performance. Incorporating guided meditation and breathwork into your daily routine can increase productivity, improve learning and memory, reduce stress and anxiety, and promote greater creativity and problem-solving skills.

The three mechanisms of attention

Amishi Jha’s research explores how mindfulness directly impacts attention, one of productivity's most crucial mental faculties. According to Jha, our attention can be divided into three systems:

Flashlight

Narrow, focused attention that zeroes in on something and illuminates it. For example, your flashlight is currently focused on this text as you read it. Also known as the orienting system. 

Spotlight

Broader, less focused attention that’s used when we’re taking in lots of information at once. Think of how you might scan a room when you first walk into it, noticing everything but focusing on nothing in particular. Also known as the alerting system. 

Juggler

The Juggler is the executive control in charge of attention switching. It signals the brain to switch back and forth between different tasks and points of attention. It also overrides knee-jerk reactions, like the impulse to pick up your phone every time it vibrates. 

Improving your focus with just 12 minutes a day

Do you have 12 minutes to spare? In high-stress environments, such as the military, Jha's research found that even short daily mindfulness sessions of around 12 minutes can significantly enhance attention and cognitive performance. This practice, Jha explains, creates a kind of "mental armor" that protects attentional resources, even under extreme pressure.

Whether you are managing a busy workday or facing personal challenges, a brief mindfulness session can bolster your focus and productivity. Twelve minutes a day, five days a week, adds up to just an hour, and the more you practice, the better your results will be. 

This meditation exercise is called breath awareness, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: Noticing yourself breathing as a tool to focus the mind and slow down racing thoughts. With regular practice, you’ll learn how to leverage breath awareness to cultivate the power of attention and make deliberate choices about where your energy goes. By redirecting your attention to your breath whenever your mind wanders, you are essentially training your brain to strengthen its "Flashlight," as described by Jha.

Start by settling in with a relaxed posture and follow these steps:

Focus

Start by choosing a specific aspect of your breathing that stands out most. Think of this as your "target" for attention during the exercise. It could be the sensation of cool air passing through your nostrils, the rise and fall of your chest or abdomen, or any other distinct feeling accompanying your breath. Allow your attention to rest fully on these sensations for the next few moments.

Notice

As you focus on your breath, observe when your mind inevitably wanders. You might be distracted by thoughts, physical sensations, or memories that pull you away from the breath. Becoming aware of this shift is a key part of the practice.

Redirect

When you catch your mind drifting away from your breathing, gently guide your attention back to your chosen point of focus—the breath. There's no need to criticize yourself for wandering; just calmly return your focus to the breath.

Repeat

There's no set number of times to repeat this redirection—simply continue as long as you need to. Just like a physical push-up strengthens muscles, you're building mental resilience and focus each time you notice your mind wandering and bring it back to the breath.

Not only does breathwork improve focus, but it also helps reduce stress and anxiety, two significant barriers to productivity. When you're less anxious, your mind is clearer and better equipped to handle complex tasks. A few minutes of deep, mindful breathing can calm the nervous system and restore balance, making it easier to tackle your to-do list with renewed energy and clarity.

10 days to a more focused mind

Whether you're striving to excel in your career, manage a busy household, or simply cultivate more calm in your daily life, techniques like breathwork and meditation offer a proven, accessible path to success. Building on the research of Jiha and other experts in mindfulness and neurobiology, Open’s 10-Day Focused Mind program offers science-based techniques to improve your focus and attention span. Try Open for free.