Do any of these experiences sound familiar? You get to the bottom of the page and realize you have no idea what you just read. Entering a room, you forget why you went there in the first place. Looking up from your phone, you realize you’ve been scrolling for way too long.
What happened? Your attention lapsed. And it lapses a lot — so much so that, according to research, we are missing 50% of our lives. When such lapses occur during our workday, they not only may annoy us, but they also may be consequential for our success and productivity.
So, how can you own your attention while working? In her new book, “Peak Mind,” neuroscientist Amishi Jha gives us some good news first.
Three tips for improving attention
According to Jha, “Our brains are not broken.
In fact, having our focus pulled away by email alerts or even alarming thoughts generated within our own mind is exactly what the brain’s attention system was designed to do.”
Jha explains that our focus snaps to novel, salient information. It’s what alerted our ancestors to threats in their environment.
But, when we are at work, and this ancient brain response gets triggered by the buzz of our phone, we have to expend mental energy to guide our focus back to where we need it.
This could be a conversation or meeting you need to pay attention to, the report you need to finish or the new idea you want to mull over.
Jha puts it this way: “Guiding attention back to where we need our focus over and over again is exhausting. And even before we can bring our focus back to the task at hand, we need to realize we’ve misplaced it in the first place.”
Photo by Ethan Sees from Pexels
Thankfully, there are science-backed ways we can help ourselves. Here are three of Jha’s suggestions:
Stop multitasking
Multitasking is a myth. What we’re actually doing is task-switching.
Notice that the term focus is singular. Jha advises, “Think of your focus like a flashlight. You direct it toward one task, and then you disengage and move it to the other task, back and forth. You aren’t shining two flashlights on two tasks simultaneously. When all of your focus is needed, turn off notifications and engage in serial ‘monotasking’ for better results.”
If you really need to do more than one attention-demanding task at the same time, remember that there will be a lag in your performance. Think of it as the cost of re-entry from one task to the next. Do not add to that lag by further berating yourself for not being able to do two things at once. Just shift back and begin again.
Take brain breaks throughout the day
The only way to find your focus when you are lost on social media or lost in thought is to look for it.
Jha suggests doing this short “STOP” practice multiple times a day as a way to check in with your attention:
- Stop what you are doing.
- Take a breath.
- Observe what is happening within and around you.
- Proceed.
“This brain break allows you to return to the present with the flashlight of your focus right here with you, so you can direct it where you need it,” she writes.
Exercise your attention with mindfulness
We can train our minds to pay attention differently. And using mindfulness training to do so has mood- and performance-boosting effects.
But before you begin this 12-minute daily mindfulness practice, remember that the goal is not to have unwavering focus; that is not possible.
Jha reveals, “Our minds were designed for distractibility. You are training instead to notice where your focus is and get it back on track when you need it.”
Begin by sitting comfortably with your posture upright yet easeful — think “upright,” not “uptight.” Feel free to close your eyes.
Next, Jha provides these four steps:
- Focus: Select sensations of breathing that are most prominent for you. Think of the breath as the target for your attention. The sensations could be movement, like your chest moving, or coolness on your skin as air flows from your nose. Now, keep the flashlight of your focus on these breath-related sensations.
- Notice: Notice when your mind has wandered away from the breath. Your focus may have moved to thoughts, sensations or memories.
- Redirect: When this happens, simply redirect your attention back to the breath.
- Repeat: Begin again. Focus, notice, redirect.
This practice is highly customizable. Pick another target for your attention if you’d like.
If you are walking somewhere, focus on the sensations of walking. You aren’t thinking about walking; you are focusing on the sensations of your feet touching the ground, moving and touching the ground again.
Eventually, this practice can be used while we are working. The email, the meeting, the report — these can all take turns as the target for our attention. Focus, notice mind-wandering and redirect back.
Don’t worry about all of the thousands of thoughts that may come up; your mind was not designed to be thought-free.
Mindfulness is often framed as an optional wellness activity or an exclusively spiritual pursuit.
As Jha’s research into the science of attention reveals, implementing mindfulness into our work lives has the power to benefit our performance, leadership and well-being. She offers a scientifically sound alternative to avoidance and distractibility: presence.
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Get your attention span for work back in focus with these tips
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Photo Credit: El Nariz / Shutterstock
One of the COVID-19 pandemic’s most significant long-term effects on the economy could be rising wages. With widespread shortages in the labor market reported this summer, many employers—particularly those with lower-wage employees—have tried to entice workers with improved compensation and benefits. These trends have led to the fastest rates of wage growth since the Great Recession, especially among the lowest earners.
But lower-wage professions still have a long way to go to match the strong rates of wage growth for higher-income jobs over the last few decades. According to data from the Economic Policy Institute, inflation-adjusted wage growth from 1979 to 2019 for a worker at the 10th percentile of wages was a mere 3.3%. For the median earner, wages grew 15.1% over that span, while for 95th percentile earners, wages were up 63.2%.
These divergent trends have driven up the share of Americans in high-earning professions and created larger gaps between higher and lower ends of the income spectrum. Twenty years ago, only 0.7% of American workers were in jobs that typically paid more than $100,000 per year. By 2015, that share was 3.8%. And in the last five years alone, the percentage of American workers in six-figure jobs more than doubled to 7.9% in 2020.
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Photo Credit: El Nariz / Shutterstock
One of the COVID-19 pandemic’s most significant long-term effects on the economy could be rising wages. With widespread shortages in the labor market reported this summer, many employers—particularly those with lower-wage employees—have tried to entice workers with improved compensation and benefits. These trends have led to the fastest rates of wage growth since the Great Recession, especially among the lowest earners.
But lower-wage professions still have a long way to go to match the strong rates of wage growth for higher-income jobs over the last few decades. According to data from the Economic Policy Institute, inflation-adjusted wage growth from 1979 to 2019 for a worker at the 10th percentile of wages was a mere 3.3%. For the median earner, wages grew 15.1% over that span, while for 95th percentile earners, wages were up 63.2%.
These divergent trends have driven up the share of Americans in high-earning professions and created larger gaps between higher and lower ends of the income spectrum. Twenty years ago, only 0.7% of American workers were in jobs that typically paid more than $100,000 per year. By 2015, that share was 3.8%. And in the last five years alone, the percentage of American workers in six-figure jobs more than doubled to 7.9% in 2020.
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Get your attention span for work back in focus with these tips
One field that may be contributing to the growth rate of high-paying jobs nationwide is tech: software developers and computer and information systems managers—both of which have faster growth rates than most other professions—currently combine for more than 1.9 million high-paying jobs. But while fast-growing tech jobs and more specialized fields like law, health, or finance often get the attention, the most common six-figure profession is general and operations managers. More than 2.3 million U.S. workers fill this role, which is common in organizations of all types across the public and private sector, and it has a median annual income of $103,650.
One field that may be contributing to the growth rate of high-paying jobs nationwide is tech: software developers and computer and information systems managers—both of which have faster growth rates than most other professions—currently combine for more than 1.9 million high-paying jobs. But while fast-growing tech jobs and more specialized fields like law, health, or finance often get the attention, the most common six-figure profession is general and operations managers. More than 2.3 million U.S. workers fill this role, which is common in organizations of all types across the public and private sector, and it has a median annual income of $103,650.
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Get your attention span for work back in focus with these tips
In addition to being concentrated in certain fields, high-paying jobs are also geographically concentrated. Six-figure salaries are most common in coastal states including California, Massachusetts, Maryland, and New York, where the population tends to have greater educational attainment, cost of living is higher, and high-paying industries like tech, business, law, and health and life sciences are more prevalent. But even many parts of the country where these jobs are less common are seeing growth. Six-figure jobs more than tripled in Hawaii from 2015 to 2020, and ten other states—mostly in the Mountain West and upper Midwest—had a growth rate for six-figure jobs of more than 100% over the same span. Many of these states are proving more attractive to employers and professionals seeking lower-cost locales.
In addition to being concentrated in certain fields, high-paying jobs are also geographically concentrated. Six-figure salaries are most common in coastal states including California, Massachusetts, Maryland, and New York, where the population tends to have greater educational attainment, cost of living is higher, and high-paying industries like tech, business, law, and health and life sciences are more prevalent. But even many parts of the country where these jobs are less common are seeing growth. Six-figure jobs more than tripled in Hawaii from 2015 to 2020, and ten other states—mostly in the Mountain West and upper Midwest—had a growth rate for six-figure jobs of more than 100% over the same span. Many of these states are proving more attractive to employers and professionals seeking lower-cost locales.
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Get your attention span for work back in focus with these tips
At the local level, low costs can also be a major draw for companies looking to grow or expand, along with access to a strong labor supply or top universities. These factors have boosted the growth of high-paying jobs in metros like Nashville, Phoenix, and others as they have emerged as viable alternatives to established centers like New York or the Bay Area.
To determine the locations with the largest growth in high-paying jobs, researchers at Stessa calculated the percentage change in employment in six-figure jobs from 2015 to 2020 using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In the event of a tie, the location with the greater percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs for 2020 was ranked higher. For the purpose of this analysis, employment in six-figure jobs was defined as total employment in occupations with a median annual wage of $100,000 or more.
Here are the metros with the largest growth in high-paying jobs.
At the local level, low costs can also be a major draw for companies looking to grow or expand, along with access to a strong labor supply or top universities. These factors have boosted the growth of high-paying jobs in metros like Nashville, Phoenix, and others as they have emerged as viable alternatives to established centers like New York or the Bay Area.
To determine the locations with the largest growth in high-paying jobs, researchers at Stessa calculated the percentage change in employment in six-figure jobs from 2015 to 2020 using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In the event of a tie, the location with the greater percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs for 2020 was ranked higher. For the purpose of this analysis, employment in six-figure jobs was defined as total employment in occupations with a median annual wage of $100,000 or more.
Here are the metros with the largest growth in high-paying jobs.
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Get your attention span for work back in focus with these tips
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Get your attention span for work back in focus with these tips
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Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +101.1%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 7.6%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 80,560
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 40,060
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $44,020
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Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +101.1%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 7.6%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 80,560
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 40,060
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $44,020
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Get your attention span for work back in focus with these tips
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Photo Credit: Andrew Zarivny / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +107.7%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 12.9%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 124,480
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 59,930
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $48,070
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Photo Credit: Andrew Zarivny / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +107.7%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 12.9%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 124,480
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 59,930
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $48,070
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Get your attention span for work back in focus with these tips
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Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +109.2%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 9.9%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 61,470
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 29,380
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $43,500
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Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +109.2%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 9.9%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 61,470
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 29,380
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $43,500
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Get your attention span for work back in focus with these tips
Shutterstock
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +122.3%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 6.2%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 45,090
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 20,280
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $42,280
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Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +122.3%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 6.2%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 45,090
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 20,280
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $42,280
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Get your attention span for work back in focus with these tips
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Photo Credit: Jon Bilous / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +124.7%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 10.1%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 115,080
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 51,220
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $48,050
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Photo Credit: Jon Bilous / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +124.7%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 10.1%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 115,080
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 51,220
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $48,050
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Get your attention span for work back in focus with these tips
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Photo Credit: Sergey Novikov / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +143.0%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 5.0%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 24,590
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 10,120
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $42,040
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Photo Credit: Sergey Novikov / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +143.0%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 5.0%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 24,590
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 10,120
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $42,040
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Get your attention span for work back in focus with these tips
Shutterstock
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +156.2%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 3.7%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 13,730
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 5,360
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $38,900
Shutterstock
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +156.2%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 3.7%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 13,730
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 5,360
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $38,900
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Get your attention span for work back in focus with these tips
Shutterstock
Photo Credit: f11photo / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +163.0%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 5.7%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 56,780
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 21,590
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $37,920
Shutterstock
Photo Credit: f11photo / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +163.0%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 5.7%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 56,780
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 21,590
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $37,920
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Get your attention span for work back in focus with these tips
Shutterstock
Photo Credit: Henryk Sadura / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +175.2%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 4.2%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 21,630
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 7,860
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $39,430
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Photo Credit: Henryk Sadura / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +175.2%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 4.2%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 21,630
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 7,860
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $39,430
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Get your attention span for work back in focus with these tips
Shutterstock
Photo Credit: Steve Minkler / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +181.3%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 6.3%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 93,620
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 33,280
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $39,630
Shutterstock
Photo Credit: Steve Minkler / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +181.3%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 6.3%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 93,620
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 33,280
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $39,630
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Get your attention span for work back in focus with these tips
Shutterstock
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +204.8%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 6.5%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 33,310
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 10,930
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $38,280
Shutterstock
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +204.8%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 6.5%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 33,310
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 10,930
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $38,280
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Get your attention span for work back in focus with these tips
Shutterstock
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +216.1%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 4.8%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 43,690
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 13,820
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $37,690
Shutterstock
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +216.1%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 4.8%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 43,690
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 13,820
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $37,690
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Get your attention span for work back in focus with these tips
Shutterstock
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +217.1%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 8.6%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 180,740
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 57,000
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $41,300
Shutterstock
Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +217.1%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 8.6%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 180,740
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 57,000
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $41,300
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Get your attention span for work back in focus with these tips
Shutterstock
Photo Credit: Mihai_Andritoiu / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +270.9%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 5.6%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 53,820
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 14,510
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $40,650
Shutterstock
Photo Credit: Mihai_Andritoiu / Shutterstock
- Percentage change in six-figure jobs (2015–2020): +270.9%
- Percentage of total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 5.6%
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2020): 53,820
- Total employment in six-figure jobs (2015): 14,510
- Median annual wage across all occupations (2020): $40,650
