how i fixed my attention span

[@answerinprogress]

In case you're curious about the title and thumbnail changes, this video has around 40k-60k fewer views than our channel average. While it's partially just a bummer to see a video I'm proud of (and took 1.5 months to make) "underperform", the real risk is that future sponsors may pull out of the channel which makes it hard to produce the videos we do full time. So dw, there is no conspiracy, we're just trying to tweak the way the video is packaged to see if we can improve the clickthrough and get a few more folks watching :)

[@martinmj94]

As a fan of the channel, I'd say this video's lower CTR makes sense as when I saw this video in my feed yesterday and immediately thought two things: 1. This will be interesting. 2. This will take some mental capacity to watch so I will binge other material first and come back to this another day. Mostly because the spesific category this type of video falls into for me is more "serious and might require some kind of action by me as a viewer" rather than "oh I might learn a new interesting fact today" (which I feel your other videos often fall into). That said, I really enjoyed it. Thank you guys for doing what you do!

[@alannahroxas6185]

The thumbnail caught my attention and I stayed the whole video! Always love your vids!

[@BR-tf9gg]

If it's any assurance, I saw the changed thumbnail and decided it was time to watch it now :D all the best!

[@theoneandonlyluco]

i mean.. it worked i guessm this thubnail seems much more attractive

[@Dschonathan]

People don't want to interface with the fact that they want to distract themselves. You are the distraction and this video makes people feel self conscious.

[@JamesNewham]

as i’m actively procrastinating? sabrina, how dare you.

[@chelseashurmantine8153]

Same, I have 2 papers to write lol

[@botatobotato123]

Lol

[@blog.daLuna]

The timing

[@Dave_of_Mordor]

​@@chelseashurmantine8153am I the only one in his 30s here? Is everyone here still in school? If that's the case, hello young people!

[@paperairplaneo]

Right I feel targeted

[@shinjinibahadur4460]

The fact that I watched half the video, then got a notification from insta, then scrolled for 2 hours, then switched to youtube shorts for another hour and a half, then finally came back to this video... um...

[@teaser6089]

Relateble

[@III_three]

Same here😢

[@ducklingscap897]

That's...insane. So many hours. I'm glad that I bought an app blocker that lets me limit my app usage. Reading this really drove home how much time I wasted. I really didn't have the self control to do it on my own and I didn't want to go without social media. Now I only have a maximum of 30 minutes of instagram and 2 hours of youtube a day. And I feel really good about it.

[@rubenvanderark4960]

Same here, less extreme though

[@Eaode]

youtube shorts is an actual demon. A time thief. A trickster wandering greedily between dimensions

[@numberonepinterestuser]

i'm actually kinda proud of myself for focusing on this entire video instead of giving up and watching shorter stuff on shorts/tiktok

[@adrianpauly]

I watched in parts over the course of 3 days :(

[@LittleKikuyu]

But you did it!! ✨

[@DaisyPusher]

Congratulations. I’m at 7:12 and making my departure. 😅

[@kid0rchid]

This is my second time watching it but i got distracted with the comments

[@liyah-f8z]

im watching it in 2x cause i cant focus otherwise😭

[@glowfishin1]

"Focus is a LIMITED and EXHAUSTABLE resource." PREACH! 🙌

[@glyph_official]

I actually believe that ego depletion is on the chopping block with the replication crisis. Limited, sure, working memory is well-validated, but I was a little disappointed that the controversy in recent meta-analyses wasn’t covered here

[@sadanyagci]

Focus isn't a limited or exhaustible resource. Fighting your body limits you and triggers inhibiting adaptation processes. I call them rebuilds because of how they function and what they're actually trying to do. But this kind of fatigue itself; calling it fatigue obfuscates what's actually going on. It's like whacking your house with a sledgehammer and then being told you have to stay out of the house until it's fixed. The house didn't get tired. The house could easily be a house for you for longer if you stopped breaking it. 😄

[@MxLulo]

the way my heart skipped and i panicked at "exhaustible" tho; I panicked because I am just GENERALLY exhausted as such that its disheartening to think my ADHD ass can't do more than (say) those 60ish minutes of substantial focus

[@tedarcher9120]

Unless you don't believe it is then it isn't

[@yorgohoebeke]

@@glyph_official Indeed, the ego depletion is not well supported. And there are alternative explanations to why we feel like our focus consists of limited resources

[@Arowrath]

Complaining about lack of focus while the shot is out of focus is some wonderful visual storytelling.

[@moldman5694]

noticed that as well, was annoyed at first until I realised how clever it was

[@midttgen]

I know right it was so genius. Not to mention the sleek motion graphics. It managed to keep my eyes glued to the screen. Wonderful orchestration.

[@sunnexito]

I read your comment while I was watching that scene ! And it blow my mind ! I was trhing to understand that shoot

[@milhamalfarisi4112]

Poetic😢

[@davidmistrik]

also noticed, super awesome detail

[@ohwhy9362]

"It's like there's sand falling and I'm trying to catch all the sand" are the perfect words to capture this feeling.

[@WhittersB]

I replayed this section multiple times because I felt the exact same way.

[@zmatt25]

anakin wouldve said the same

[@Mimjay]

"for folks without attention disorders" ... the most subtle inclusivity and I have so much appreciation for it!

[@koroshiyashinigami]

Same. 😂

[@wizdumbisdumb]

me too :)

[@spino-ace]

Wait where does she say it?

[@Pulpr_turtle]

At 15:11

[@Claudia-lq3ns]

It's funny because a lot of these "pop science" videos on productivity are making me feel like I have an attention disorder.

[@AMTunLimited]

Not me IMMEDIATELY hitting this notification while trying to work on something...

[@cmelonwheels]

Not me hitting this notification to swap over from the OTHER thing I was listening to as a distraction 🥲

[@yuulfuji-js9bm]

LITERALLY

[@ailaG]

Part of why I mute nearly all notifications. They pop, but silently. In this age of immersion in technology (which I love!) we need to learn and internalise the different between push information and pull information (do you need to know things on time or just check them whenever you want? Socials & KZbin are the latter. Mute!) and between synchronous and asynchronous tasks and conversations (text / WhatsApp: async. Phone call: sync) because we treat async things as if they were sync and that messes with us. Oh and dopamine. We need to learn about that. Rather than learn that "phones are bad" and "we should try to handle life without them" (in a world that's no longer prepared for that, eg no public phones) which are ways to spank yourselves and starve yourselves of this superpower we have and may mistreat Stop Notifications Phone good Beep bad

[@tomzor8971]

with notifications turned on you'll never ever ever get your life back.

[@AMTunLimited]

@@tomzor8971 comments on the internet are not solicitations for advice from strangers

[@MrJustwatchin9]

this video was a youtube masterpiece. its blend of narration, creative shots, the story preogressionn buildup, history lessons and advertisement. the transition in vocal pitch, the motion graphics. its like you went to scool for filmmaking and strory boarded the whole video while writing. this deserves an award. lol

[@krazzyvibestv8657]

Yea the advertising is subtle

[@anvitashukla5063]

i was thinking the same!! also her voice is so interesting to hear? like makes me wanna learn stuff from her lol

[@zmatt25]

agreed

[@kaamos79]

This video is a case in point of what a short attention span does to a person, and how content creators are pandering to these short attention spans with endless snappy cuts and jumps, and an average shot length that's what? 3 seconds tops?

[@joslin7tj]

Agree!

[@zoesoriano7052]

Omg I audibly gasped when you pulled up that Headspace video of Yoda -- I made that!!! i love your videos and am so honored!!!

[@sgisastr]

you’re amazing! thank you for your contribution to my headspace ❤❤❤

[@MaxineCampbell-j6h]

good job! it's so cute :)

[@ms_ch]

It's so cute!

[@Claudia-lq3ns]

Absolutely adorable; nice work!! 👏👏

[@bhangela]

how cool!!!

[@aspiring.creative.person6092]

I saw a really good explanation about meditation earlier today. It went roughly like this: The goal of meditation is not to clear your mind. It’s to control your focus. You have an anchor to focus on, which can be anything- breathing, sound, texture, even coloring. You’re allowed to have thoughts. The goal is to notice the thought, not judge it, and let it go, and bring your attention back to the anchor. Meditation helps you in the bringing back your attention, it’s not supposed to stop your mind from ever wandering. Hope this helps

[@chewybbg]

what a great way to look at it. thank you!

[@Mendoxs_]

so it's not about helping you focus on anything in particular like writing, working, etc., it's about practicing focus itself without the pressure of responsibility? well that makes a lot more sense, your explanation was very helpful :)

[@blazeroll8685]

This helped me understand meditation so much! Thanks!

[@zokoravonyensloh]

This is really well put into words. Meditating was so hard when I though that to really meditate you are not allowed to think of anything! Your head has to be empty. Learning that no, you are allowed to have thoughts was a gamechanger. Just saying okay and taking the next breath is a lot easier :D

[@justalittleguy733]

love this

[@reverse_engineered]

To summarize: - Limit unnecessary distractions - Give yourself time to relax - Practice ignoring the unavoidable distractions Sabrina, your breakdown in fighting off the distractions is interesting because it seems to indicate two things. First, you are anxious and obsessive - you worry so much about being distracted that you become distracted by the thought that you might be distracted. This is a big part of anxiety and obsession. Part of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is learning how to recognize those obsessive thoughts and break the cycle. For those of us who are predisposed to getting stuck in these loops and find ourselves unable to break free even with deliberate effort, there are medications to help. I can say, for me, the combination has been life-changing. Second, you were focusing too much all of the time, especially on being focused itself. As you pointed out, focus is a limited resource that refills when you rest. That rest isn't just sleep, but any time that you can relax and unfocus. This is what meditation is all about: it's about learning to focus on nothing and thereby allow it to recuperate. Part of avoiding being distracted is learning how to ignore distractions. Meditation is a deliberate practice at ignoring distractions. It's learning to control your ability to not focus on things. By spending time unfocused, you give yourself time to rest, which lets you focus more the rest of the time. For me, it often means spending 20 minutes lying in bed with my phone off and my eyes closed, usually after work when my focus is most depleted. I may also listen to calm music that I'm familiar with as a way to block out any outside noise. All of these things help to avoid having distractions during this time, making it easier to unfocus. Rather than actively trying to unfocus, I will practice letting ideas and perceptions pass me by. If an anxious thought occurs - even about meditation itself - I will repeat to myself, "It's okay; that doesn't matter right now. All that matters is that I am here." The same technique is used as part of CBT for insomnia. A lot of insomnia is a result of being anxious about having insomnia - worrying that you won't get enough sleep keeps you awake. Learning to think, "It's fine; I get whatever sleep I get - it's beyond my control" allows you to break that cycle of anxiety and relax, therefore letting you actually fall asleep. I'm glad you have found an approach that works for you. I feel that this is an important life skill that we often aren't taught and that many of our parents don't know themselves. Learning it is valuable throughout our life at any age. Teaching it to others - as you have - is a gift to the world.

[@beccaw74]

Something I have said to myself often on a sleepless night is "Any sleep is good sleep." The first time I said that out loud, I felt like a weight had been lifted off of my chest. Now, it doesn't always work, but that could be because I am still learning to disengage with my thoughts and truly relax. I also have clinically diagnosed OCD and have also found myself getting anxious over my ability to focus on things (my brain likes to convince me I have something wrong with me if I can't focus as much as it thinks I should, it's a fun time) and I'm glad you have brought up that being anxious about focusing can make it harder to actually focus. All of this is just me basically saying that I agree with everything you have written.

[@antoinette...]

Wonderful observation. I wish I could pin this comment for myself to remember it.

[@elina3734]

can you please say what is the medication? is it prescription only?

[@AadidevSooknananNXS]

Moments like 14:03 with Sabrina yelling while being blinded by projector light with overly technical matplotlib charts are why I'm still subscribed to this channel

[@Siberius-]

If those moments didn't exist, you would be outta here?

[@AadidevSooknananNXS]

It was hyperbole, I enjoy the educative nature of the channel which is think is essential, but I also appreciate the psychotic breaks in-between which lighten the mood @@Siberius-

[@Siberius-]

​@@AadidevSooknananNXS - I was just nitpicking. There is a nice vibe with the videos on this channel in particular over others in the category. It's more laid back and cosy, with just enough scuff. Doesn't feel so, corporate I suppose. Though ya gotta be careful, because many corporate-owned youtube channels with big teams, do go after this aesthetic intentionally to get away from feeling corporate. Which is interesting.

[@AadidevSooknananNXS]

Yeaaa I agree @@Siberius-

[@nathanbanks2354]

I was hooked by the EEG scanner. Who else starts trying to increase their attention by measuring their attention? Plus it gives her data to be blinded by.

[@ThroughtheMines]

One of the teachers at the zen center I visit said to me, “sitting meditation is like overflowing a glass of water. You can keep doing the practice, but you can’t control where the water ends up going.” He meant that we can’t control how meditation will benefit us. Like I started meditating to help with GAD. I’ve been at it regularly for a few years and haven’t made a huge dent in that. But I have noticed myself being more self-compassionate (which I think will help my anxiety in the long run!). Meditation can help with focus, but expecting or hoping for it to cure a specific thing will definitely unfocus you from enjoying the present moment :)

[@Link-ow2sn]

Why is there no subway surfer playing, not gonna watch it

[@carriepapenfuss5777]

My favorite game too

[@LightningShade12]

Where's Family Guy episodes??

[@Machodave2020]

No Minecraft playing?

[@slytherenic]

Lmaoo💀

[@milhamalfarisi4112]

😢😢😢

[@lazo9972]

As someone with multiple disabilities, including chronic illness and ADHD, Sabrina talking about how tiring just living her life is and how she's trying to catch all of the sand resonated so much with me. It's really frustrating being disabled and trying to live at the pace that I'm "supposed" to live at. Being very focused and productive can be so tiring and isn't something I'm able to maintain for longer than a few days. It just becomes too much and everything is stressing me out and suddenly I'm breaking down because my cat meowed at me too much. The hardest thing I've had to learn over the last year has been that i need to take things slower and that while it means that i can't operate at the same pace as the rest of the world, it doesn't mean i can't continue to live my life and be successful. It's just that my success might take a little longer, but that's okay. Because I'd rather take a little longer to accomplish those things than push myself to the absolute edge.

[@Over.thewillow]

Oop I'm crying now, really needed to see this

[@ryanwillingham]

i feel that so much. i know i fundamentally work at a slower pace than the rest of the world but i don't know how to slow the treadmill down without tripping and especially not without getting dirty looks from everyone else going mach 10

[@jordanawislocki6380]

bro i feel that

[@londonh1800]

I have ADHD and OCD. I’m only incredibly productive at random points of time, and it took my diagnosis to understand how my brain actually worked and to be ok with it. Thank you for sharing too.

[@caffeinated-feral-housewife]

I also feel this too. I hit burnout in the process of trying to do things at a normal pace. I'm just now coming out of it. I had to even just wear the same thing every day (dependant on weather ofc) to give myself a break.

[@RamisAlvin]

Do you know what I enjoy about this video? The transparency. All of the videos and advice I saw stated that their knowledge helped them. What about you? You allowed us to recognize the difficulties and problems. Just like in my early stages. I felt great, and everything is working as it should. But for some unforeseen reason, everything went wrong. I felt pressured without doing anything. My motivation and interest have vanished.... I am really pleased that you found the answer and that is "meditation" or, as I understand it, step back, breathe, and do one thing at a time.

[@OwenWang]

"are my shakiras in alignment" what a banger half a second joke

[@NabhPal17]

I didn't understand as in the context of the joke (that maybe i am unaware to) क्या उन्हें 'चकरा' शब्द चाहिए था..? Yet, it was amusing. 😊

[@TknoelTellsStories]

Haha I was looking to see if anyone else noticed this!

[@kinpandun2464]

​@@NabhPal17 the joke is that the correct word is "chakras", but they used "Shakiras" instead, "Shakira" being singer from the Top 40 music charts in the aughts (00s). She's the one with the song "Hips Don't Lie".

[@immxnty]

@@NabhPal17 yes, she was referring to that word, but a lot of people with English as their first language mispronounce "chakra" as "shakra", and she was making a joke in reference to that. she's hilarious 😭

[@NabhPal17]

@@kinpandun2464 thanks for taking a moment and explaining. ☺️

[@tcdoesstuff]

The visual storytelling of talking about not being able to focus with the camera out of focus is so simple and great

[@deadbutterfly7846]

literally wrote a comment about that (10:00 moment) then realized yours is just above mine ;D

[@tcdoesstuff]

@@deadbutterfly7846 Great minds think alike

[@niccohalvorsen5175]

Really fascinating how you progressed to debug your life, with an EEG and using your programming skills to even understand in further depth. This video was all over expectations. Subscribed.

[@SettlingNomads]

Here's how meditation works: 1. You get your brain into the practice of noticing thoughts, you exercise that muscle and whenever you catch yourself spiraling, you can remind yourself you are thinking and pull yourself back to the present moment. Being in the present moment allays anxiety about the future and regrets of the past. 2. It promotes Neural plasticity - The way we are, and the way our brain is are because of neural pathways in our brain (basically, your brain gets used to thinking and doing things a certain way. Think behaviours like pessimism to habits like fidgeting etc) - Neural plasticity means your neural pathways become more plastic and you can reshape them. i.e. you can learn a different mindset, form more habits... or work on the habits you don't want. It does not happen overnight, but in most cases, 10 minutes a day is good enough. Just think of it as a daily practice and eventually you will find change. Also, you dont need to sit upright or have a spiritual flavour to this. It's just psychology melded with physical exercise :)

[@aprildawnsunshine4326]

I think you meant neurology or maybe neuro-psychology because it's more to do with the physical and chemical workings of the brain than our thoughts or feelings which is the realm of psychology. I think this might be why I have been struggling to stick with it and not feeling the same benefits as I used to: I've cut back the portion spent on clearing my mind and focusing on my breathing and just doing 3 deep breaths before doing the more spiritual aspects of my personal practice. Just hard when you're trying to squeeze it in between things before starting the day. Maybe I'll find a spot to add this specific type of meditation in a less hectic timeblock

[@SettlingNomads]

I guess you might be right, @@aprildawnsunshine4326. I just meant physical in the sense you're working with your physical senses and are training your body and brain (daily habit of practicing nothing). You can try to meditate every now and then, I have stopped meditating at a fixed time nowadays, but I try to stay in the moment and meditate before sleeping. Everyone loses the streak. but you can always get started again. I don't add any spiritual aspect to it.

[@Siberius-]

Nice comment. Was along the same lines of my ones: Secular mindful meditation (MM. Not typing it every time) has been extremely helpful for me (at least 10 minutes a day). There's a lot of other benefits, too. You can "recharge" your attention and energy really fast by just taking like, 30 seconds to do MM and then get back to the same task, instead of opening up an app or whatever and ending up spending too much time on that, and that app serves as a break from the original task, but it's not entirely a break for the mind, since it's still doing something. MM almost shuts the brain off, and it doesn't require much to feel like you can get back to the task. You can also see this in just getting up and walking around for a bit and then sitting back down. This one has been huge for me to stay on one task. MM is also really awesome for so many other things. You're can just shut out all your thoughts whenever you want, like when you're trying to sleep, or negative self-talk if you have that, or worrying about the future or regrets about the past, stressing about things, etc. They just get replaced by just noticing this shit that pops up in your head without your doing, and then they disappear because you're not engaging with them. You can't think about shit, if you're only noticing shit. Over time you get really good at flexing this muscle and you can be in-check of your mind and what it's doing, a lot of the time. Another one is that you learn to be comfortable with things. Sensations, thoughts, boredom. Because you can just wipe them out instantly, or focus on it so hard that it no longer bothers you like it once did. A cool example of this is when you are cold. Being cold is very unpleasant, but when you really focus on ONLY the sensation of coldness, without all the other concepts and judgements we attach onto the sensation, it just becomes this weird pattern of energy that you're feeling, and the raw pattern of energy on it's own in isolation, is no where NEAR as unpleasant as it is when we attach all the judgements to it with how unpleasant it is. Same can be done with pain, though at a certain level the pain is just as shit either way lol (unless you're like a hardcore monk or something).

[@SettlingNomads]

Absolute banger. Yes, that has been my experience for the past 3 years as well,@@Siberius-. It makes a huge difference and changes you as a person.

[@Siberius-]

@@SettlingNomads - Especially if through mindful meditation you start pondering the "Self" and Libertarian Free Will, but that's a whole topic lol.

[@SourLemonade57]

15:11 THANK YOU for mentioning that this is for folks WITHOUT attention disorders, like ADHD. So often I see videos like this suggesting they will work for EVERYONE when they in fact, will not. And then those of us with attention disorders get all sorts of terrible for us advice from people that think they know how to “fix it” when they don’t even understand how our brain works.

[@spaci-1701]

THIS! Honestly, some of this just felt like the advice we get from all directions that often feels like torture when we try to implement it. It's wonderful to have someone acknowledge that 'common' solutions don't work for those of us with uncommon brains.

[@NabhPal17]

I caught the detail to, similar minds might do such so... I wish for your ability to be conditioned. आशा है मेरे शब्द कुछ गलत संदेश न दें, i clarify to convey in this moment "i wish for goodwill".

[@witchcraftandlizardry]

Yea I take advice written from neurotypical perspective with a grain of salt cause if you expect of yourself that which comes easy to others or that what a differently wired brain can do this is gonna be devastating for the self esteem when you need to work with how your brain is wired. Tips for adhd will really be like eat healthy consistent meals which is good advice but that alone requires an ungodly amount of executive function to plan shop prepare clean up stop start eating on schedule so from a neurotypical perspective it’s like oh struggle w executive function? Just do this thing that requires so much of it. Can’t focus? Ok just focus. See? Solved lololol

[@philipramirez5406]

Couldn't hurt to try though. Like all things, ADHD is a spectrum and if a combination of good behavior can nudge the scale it may be worth trying. That said, if it doesn't work for you that's okay. I hope we all find the things that do

[@philipramirez5406]

Also, my take away was that meditation is a bit like exercise. You don't have to it perfectly or even well, but you may find yourself slowly improving over time. I think that's the exciting part to me because lord knows I ain't sitting still with my eyes closed longer than it takes me to blink otherwise.

[@earthlyfae]

i really appreciate you talking about when you fall off and start using your phone again anyway. i always start strong, fail and then just stop altogether because no one ever gives next steps

[@stephaniec3022]

Me with ADHD: this sounds great in theory but... in practice not so much lol. Thanks for recognizing that it's not quite that simple for attention-based disorders. I found that building a rigid schedule makes me MORE distracted, stressed, and prone to procrastination. Instead I have a flexible plan that is dependent on energy levels/importance since it takes me more energy to actually start/finish tasks and pay attention/remember things.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Same for me with autism, but for me it's more like I can't create a time schedule because I never know what time it is.

[@carpdog42]

@@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 I have both and it took me a long time to realize that some of my biggest frustrations came from not understanding my own needs. I naturally fall into a very rigid and simple routine. I naturally love my routine and hate breaking it. Yet, my routine is utterly understimulating and leads me to literally be bored with myself. There is an old adage about being born with two wolves inside. Except I didn't get wolves, I got cats, and I need to feed both of them or the other one is going to have an absolute melt down.

[@Healermain15]

​@@carpdog42I see you know how my brain work. It's especially bad when you're both overstimulated and bored at the same time. I have to do things to feed my brain, but when it actually has to do anything it immediately overloads and starts melting down!

[@jtstrocel]

AudHD here. I find it’s like riding a horse or elephant. I have a planning Calendar and a calendar record. When I’m having a good week, the two are lined up. When I’m not, they don’t. There are a lot of factors, so having metrics like that can give me clues on to where to make changes.

[@Amanda-C.]

​@@jtstrocelTell me more about this approach, please. I've found a lot of value in self-tracking and retrospective analysis, but I struggle with making it something I can do consistently without making it a source of stress.

[@4c_aperture]

this timing is wild for me, bc i just realized that the full throat panic that i felt at the start of any task for a WHILE now, is bc i haven’t meditated for nearly two months

[@aprildawnsunshine4326]

OMG That's it exactly for me! I wouldn't have described it that way but that's exactly why I've been avoiding even the simplest tasks lately. Unfortunately it keeps happening. Partly I think because I'm so desperate to claw back whatever time I can due to my chronic health, but I know it's got to be more than that going on. Any idea why you didn't keep up with it?

[@4c_aperture]

@@aprildawnsunshine4326 It wasn’t ’immediately relevant or urgent’ and so I just…stopped?? Like, I knew it was ‘healthy’ and ‘important’ but I had a ton of projects (still do-I’m actually behind BECAUSE of that panic 😢😅) so I just stopped doing anything that wasn’t those things. That was fine for like a week and then I had to keep asking for extensions and having to pace my bathroom for hours because I couldn’t get a hold of myself but STILL couldn’t deal with my mind enough to get back on task ‘for some reason’ (it was the lack of meditation).

[@aprildawnsunshine4326]

@@4c_aperture so same 😆 actually dealing with a huge project I have due Monday and my kid just spent all morning on homework and did the wrong assignment so has just as much left as I thought she had before 🤦🏻‍♀️ it all makes me wanna crawl back into bed but taking some deep breaths and then I'll try again

[@lowwastehighmelanin]

OOF I'm so sorry. I'm actually procrastinating packing my room up rn i'm moving apartments in my complex suddenly lol I find music as a timer really fun and scheduling things in.

[@Bloodidi_9]

18:51 the cat being all "yup i'm here to support my mom on her journey"

[@Nikokow]

Making a “to-do list” or trying to “routinize” my day has never worked for me. When I fail doing even one of the tasks, I just feel tightness in my stomach and feel so nauseous and demoralized. And just give up and spend the whole day daydreaming as “escapism”. One thing that works for me is doing the hardest task as soon as I wake up.

[@Sunni_Abolishes_Empires]

Right.. I think it really is different for everyone :) like for me it helps to get the quickest task done first, so that way I have a little win

[@MasterEth]

The scene where you said "i'm trying so hard to focus" while the camera was out of focus, is pure genius.

[@hazelnutmeg3897]

This is one of the BEST videos I have watched in a while. The amount of research, effort, attention to detail and honesty that went into it does not go unseen. Thank you so much.

[@yeahbutthendragons152]

Okay but the idea that trying so hard to focus puts you constantly on edge is the most relatable thing my ADHD self has heard in a while. I'm constantly overthinking my focus and what I'm doing, and I have a lot of anxiety because of it. But, when I gove myself grace and just exist, I don't get anything done. I don't even do anything fun, I just waste away and feel gross afterwards

[@thecatsinvasion]

yep... doing tasks takes so much energy trying to focus, and when i do manage to focus it's so intense that im entirely drained afterwards, so then i dread having to focus more and more every time which leads to more procrastination and guilt. then when i let myself take time to relax and just exist, i make plans to do hobbies or do fun stuff but then i dont do it cause i dont have the energy to do it, or i feel like i should keep my energy for productive tasks, but it means that im not actually relaxing and taking time for myself, so when it's time to be productive, i cant get myself to do it. so overall i just do nothing, fun or not

[@yeahbutthendragons152]

@@thecatsinvasion EXACTLY

[@lemmetalkaboutthis]

I found it works really well to learn to estimate how much focus a given task will require (of a total of 100% focus that is rarely achieved on purpose, let alone for long), and then set up a purposeful distraction that will soak up the rest of the focus, and prevent unwanted distractions from getting any space (my intentional distractions come from headphones, which obviously block out the outside - the adhd can't be distracted by stuff it doesn't know about lol). I mostly consume media by listening to it rather than watching, so I'm aware this method won't work for everyone. Like, if I need to go over lists that require a lot of attention (80-90%), I'll listen to music that has no vocals (about 10% focus required), or it has very simple, calm vocals I've heard about a million times before (about ~15%). But if I'm doing embroidery, or crochet, which is largely done with little thinking and mostly just repetitive hand-movements (10-20%), I'll put on an exciting audiobook or podcast that I've not heard before (70-90%, depends on how engaging and how much is happening at once). The keep-hands-busy-while-brain-enjoys-exciting-audion-only-media situation is essentially a kickstarter for hyperfocus for my adhd lol The middle ground will be stuff with vocals, like songs (30-40%), or more impactful stuff like podcasts (40-60%, depends on how many speakers and how important it is to catch every word), that I've already heard before, so they won't be as much of a distraction as new stuff would.

[@brambl3014]

Super relatable

[@Drekromancer]

@@lemmetalkaboutthis You're a genius! I'll try this next time. Thanks!!

[@wizdumbisdumb]

whenever im down the rabbit hole of watching productivity videos to attempt to help my adhd, their effects never last like i want them to. it makes me frustrated in myself, it makes me ask myself why i cant function correctly even when doing the simple suggestions and changes to my life. i love this video because i think more often than not, videos forget to acknowledge people who have attention disorders, and sabrina saying "for folks without attention disorders" made me feel seen. even though it was one small line and im making a big deal out of it, it made me think less badly about my focus. i criticize myself too much for tasks i wasnt able to complete that day or classes i couldnt fully focus on, and ive always been a huge fan of the channel, but it made me appreciate you all even more. i know this comment probably wont be read, but i just wanted to share my gratitude :)

[@teresaellis7062]

I read it and totally agree. Thank you for reminding me that I am not alone with my struggles with ADD. I used to beat myself up about my failings and I am slowly finding peace with my limitations.

[@razok2125]

yes!! Fellow adhder here bingeing videos on how to fix my life and I often forget that most of these types of videos are made by neurotypical people. Sabrina’s comment about was a wonderful reminder that I do indeed have a disorder that inhibits my focus, sometimes I forget that.

[@ThiCC_Yosh]

Me too, i tried everything under the sun till i went to the doctor, but I do NOT have ADHD i have an unknown attention disorder, but she said attention disorders in general it made me feel seen, however it still hurts how she said she's supposed to be happy folks without them can focus with these simple things and they can click off, while i spent years fixing it but i cant. it makes me jealous. I dont like the term neurotypical as its overly simplifying, but 'normal' people can be scary sometimes, and yes their content is not for us. I am with you in this pain

[@Dankey490]

same man, I don't think I have ADHD, but I have severe attention span issues. I think this video was made for me.

[@harolddigon]

This is hands down one of the best videos I've seen in this platform. Everything was so on point that I couldn't help but feeling amazed of how well done is the work you people have made here. You, girl, are great in front of the camera. Your pitch, your humor, your gestures, the way you talk completely captured and kept my attention the whole time, even though I suffer from the same lack of focus you're describing. This is the first time I watch something from you guys but congratulations because this is excellent. Now I'm curious to see what other things can be found in your channel. Keep up the good work. Cya.

[@wirelesmike73]

18:50 Kitty meditating with you is, not only adorable, but is the puurrrrrfect illustration of how well meditation actually works. You are calm, focused, and at peace, and kitty not only notices this, but joins you in that place of peace, content to be calm and comfortable next to you, rather than wanting pets, or food, or play, or attention. 😸Kitty be vibin'... Zen kitty.

[@candicerogers7777]

"I have lived with several Zen masters -- all of them cats." - Eckhart Tolle

[@WyvernYT]

I was happy that we got to see Sabrina's cat again.

[@artyb27]

I'm only halfway through so forgive me if this comes up later but holy shit this video is giving me so much ADHD anxiety. It's such an accurate portrayal of the good days, when I feel like a god of productivity who can achieve anything I put my mind to, and then the bad periods when my lack of physical motivation goes to war with my ambition and emotional motivation and tears me apart. Since getting diagnosed I've found a good metaphor - my brain is a goddamn F1 car, but it takes a lot of fuel to run it.

[@spookyaliens6286]

I also have adhd and I will often think “it just takes a lot of energy to be me”

[@cEighteen]

You're relying on Motivation for everything you do, & Motivation is volatile & inconsistent, some days it'll help you, some days it'll hurt you. Learn to train your discipline, & rely on that to achieve the things you do. Detach yourself from your ambition

[@m-yday]

@@cEighteenwell here’s an issue with this framing. Everyone uses motivation to fuel them. Discipline is using the motivation of future betterment to motivate you. The more in-the-moment motivation is definitely much more volatile and you’re right in that regard, but you must remember the following: People with ADHD have time-blindness. Which means we are (talking extremely simplistically) unable to accurately perceive time. One other aspect of this is that we have a major issue with looking forward. Our minds don’t work with things like “future reward”. And no amount of training will fix that. We instead have to figure out ways to bring future rewards into the present. In ways that work for your mind. They need to be authentic to the individual or they’ll go ignored It’s a strange world to live in, and extremely difficult

[@simont390]

​@@cEighteen thanks mother goose 🙄 sadly the adhd brain doesn't quite work like that

[@HiHowdyDoody]

1) excellent metaphor 2) I FUCKING LOVE METAPHORS

[@mina-fx8eh]

This might be the best video i have seen about phone addiction and the lack of focus/attention. The subject is brought in a very relatable and real way. Like you I tried all the tips i could find and even though it work, 1 or 2 weeks later i was back on my phone for 8 hours a day. It is the first time i have real hope about fixing these problems in my life. Thank you for this video

[@DMP64]

As someone that manages to overcome ADHD on a daily basis since 5 I could reccomend something that really helped me focus over the years: -Videogame music: It can be on for hours without you getting tired, no lyrics to distract and epic and energetic enough to make you keep going. -Throw the phone elsewhere: close enough so you can pick a call but far enough you will actually have to get up to get it, no socials installed and notifications muted while working. -Just start it: respond that inner voice that says you would rather rot in bed with "Well, i'll just get a bit done today and start with the first line" I swear this works wonders. When unmotivated after that you could go with "The fastest I finish the fastest I can go do ". Commenting this halfway the video so I hope Sabrina doesn't just straight out say all of this lol.

[@nikicherry1234]

good advice

[@MathMagician93]

I'd add tidying up your personal space. As in, minimizing the visual noise. Else I'll just get distracted and think about the stuff that's lying there. Also, it really helped me to schedule tasks based on what I want to achieve, and not by how long I think it'll take me to do them.

[@DarkHarlequin]

'Just start is such a simple yet hard part!' I feel we tend to want to plan big swings, see quick results and then when they don't work or seem too big to handle we despair and break down until we can recover to make the same mistake with a new 'masterplan'. But a lot of the time true progress and change is incremental and achieved by living what we wish to be tiny step by tiny step. One of the hardest things for me is the simple concepts of 'be patient with yourself' and 'trust yourself that even if you don't plan everything out (and start with one small thing) you will make good choices'. But it's also the things that are genuinely the best for me I found 🤗🤗

[@MathMagician93]

@@DarkHarlequin Since this thread started with ADHD; incremental progress is exactly the thing people with ADHD feel miserable with and it does not even work for them. Elizabeth Philips has a fantastic video on that, I think it was the one titled "How to live a chaotically organized life".

[@ryanwillingham]

these are great, thank you. do you have advice for "i finally have the motivation to do the thing i've wanted to all day but that's because it's 3am"?

[@aro4cinglife]

honestly half of this video seem to accidentally be about struggling with ADHD, I feel ya, most days I feel like I did nothing all day even tho I did do a lot, and it's tempting to want to pull the plug and try to plan *EVERYTHING* keep at it, and maybe get a therapist or psychiatrist, it'll help you make things easier on yourself XD, I swear ADHD isn't what's portrayed in media, how to ADHD is a good place to start on youtube if you don't want to spend any money

[@itsaishahh]

I don't know what to say. This video came at the right time. All my life, I have always been struggling with my attention span. I have always wanted to do so many things, followed all the productivity tips that were given online, and actually did it for 1 week or more, and then suddenly, exactly like you, I just stopped. Had no motivation, was tired, and felt guilty that I was "back to my old ways" again. Your video explained exactly, word-for-word, how I felt and what I went through. And knowing that the solution was to just meditate and to just slow down in life? Man I cried, I cried so much because the answer was so simple. I always thought that I was the problem and it was always going to be this way for me. Thank you so much for making this video, I really needed this ❤

[@al3xandra131]

the editing, the script, the amount of search, it all amazes me , it's a fenomenal channel, thanks for the good quality content

[@MawdyDev]

Yeah, I hope she keeps uploading phorever.

[@mitotae]

​@@MawdyDev oh cmon 😂

[@thekueken]

@18:54 Cat approves, has been trying to tell you pausing and meditation was the way to go for years by curling up in your lap when you were stressed. "Focus on petting me" was your cat-yoda's way to try and reach you. Finally you caught on. Would prefer the pet-method, but this works, too.

[@anonym6132]

aww, yes; I didn't even notice the cat until I saw this 😊

[@krazzyvibestv8657]

So happy I'm not a slave to social media anymore

[@erinpennington19]

I like that through these videos we're just seeing Sabrina slowly get her life together in different ways

[@Lostboy811]

Why you can't stay focused? BECAUSE YOU NEED NEW PRESCRIPTIONS FOR YOUR GLASSES.

[@Stealaire]

I know 🥲

[@paper2222]

u should watch a video about glasses by answer in progress then :D did you know glasses falling off so easily is due to pince nez? because pince nez glasses don't pince your nez?

[@evrgreen_13]

ha! me lol

[@SianaGearz]

@@paper2222 If you get your glasses fitted by a good opto, they won't fall off. They take one good glance at your noggin and massage the plastic/metal a little, and they just stay on.

[@BS-vx8dg]

I am the 444th person you made laugh with that line.

[@0_Body]

6:30 "Wishing I learned a musical instrument as a kid"... Foreshadowing

[@paleoph6168]

People with ADHD: Now this looks like a job for me.

[@renderedsomething246]

I'm glad she said something like "for people without attention disorders" cuz bruh I wish it all would just work. Even as someone who tries to exercise regularly, meditate, and not stress over small things... My brain just doesn't care, it is in control and I'm just here for the ride. Still really cool and informative video =)

[@YtWuff]

​@@renderedsomething246 yup

[@HansStrijker]

@@renderedsomething246 Oh that's all too recognizable... 🤣

[@Keyen22]

I want to bash my head at a wall after meditating for 2 mins

[@Jaddaprog]

Ngl, I was waiting for her to get an adhd diagnosis this entire video. I'm like halfway yheoigh and still not convinced it won't happen. Because the crash she describes reminds me of adhd burnout

[@jungdanghwafreepass]

What i got from the video : Actually the solution is Block notifications Make ur phone on grey mode Limit time on your most used apps And delete unneeded apps Then make schedule where you time-block your everyday habits, todo list and time for things A tip : make a small notebook for those thoughts that comes randomly and then schedule them later in ur calendar Things u should pay attention to : ur sleep quality and moving through the day also healthy eating With that u minimise distractions and stop multitasking Other things : Meditation is a big game-changer For all the muslims out here watching this video you know that our prayers (salah) in enough Meditation for us and its very helpful so keep on it

[@rio_hates_handles]

Thank you fellow Muslim brother with cultured pfp :)

[@jungdanghwafreepass]

@@rio_hates_handles correction i am girl and yes i know the pfp is not that great :)

[@rio_hates_handles]

@@jungdanghwafreepass oh yeah my bad on that, good luck on self improving and hope you have a good life sistah

[@jungdanghwafreepass]

@@rio_hates_handles yeah thank you you too have a good day

[@Brianna58321]

Thank you so much for summarising it 🤍.

[@KayleeWhite1]

Not me getting distracted at 00:29 in to the video...

[@FlorSilvestre12]

I suspect I have obsessive compulsive personality disorder, and the part where you ranted about feeling like you were always trying and failing to catch grains of sand and getting so irritated you were angry at your cat for asking for pets really resonated with me. Often the times when this part of my mental health improves are when my physical health is in a bad spot, because I can't push myself so hard. Meditation and yoga achieve a similar effect for me; it's something that reminds me that it's okay to just exist without constantly chasing productivity.

[@colonelb]

Regarding focus as a limited resource - focus also burns calories, which is one of the reasons why it's a lot harder to focus on an empty stomach. And regarding getting off of your phone - getting interested in a hobby or craft that uses your hands away from a screen has been noticeably better for my mental health and focus and patience - I highly recommend folks find something physical/tangible to do for fun, it works wonders in this day and age.

[@Heulerado]

It's also harder to focus on a full stomach because it makes you sleepy. I wish there were some sort of middle ground between not eating for the entire day because that would involve activity-switching, and eating as much as I possibly can because otherwise I'll get hungry again in less time and I'll have to activity-switch. If only...

[@avenged7peep958]

That's why I'm absolutely exhausted after long and complicated classes as if I worked out or worked physical labor

[@shwarma]

kfc = more calories = energy for focus = focus. kfc= focus

[@zephyrias]

*reopens model kit* time to build muh gunpla

[@ahem8013]

anecdotal, but i’ve noticed my focus is actually quite good while fasting, and after a large meal it’s a lot harder to sit down and work.

[@amandavelascotrindade1058]

I'm a mindfulness-based CBT therapist in Brazil, working with neuropsychology. Basically, in a very oversimplified way, what you did was work your prefrontal cortex, strengthening the pathways. It works similarly to working out. You don't need those peaks of attetion, just like when lifting heavier stuff after sometime at the gym.

[@accuratc]

the fact that i was procrastinating when i saw this video on homepage?? oh sabrina, you mastermind

[@poilaaliop]

This convinced me to do a five minute meditation for the first time in months. Thanks, Sabrina. I want to make it a regular thing again.

[@labibrashidinan9868]

Y'know what my problem is with the pop-sci approach is? They include new time wasters that might help short term but will induce a stress long term that causes you to relapse. The effort to do time blocking and customizing your phone and then turning everything off and on when you need it is an effort not worth in the long run. Another thing I feel is that, productivity is a scam! People fall into the trap of constantly needing to feel productive and then do work that's just keeping them busy without any actual output. Making a schedule, customizing your phone, tinkering with a new app, watching productivity videos, etc are all wastes of time that make you feel like you're doing something without you doing anything at all. Rather than needing to feel productive, focus on getting things done, think on what you need to get done and think how you would do so. 4 things that have actually helped me be a bit more focused on tasks; 1. Making my phone useful - rather than turning it all off and making your phone a dud, focus on making it less distracting and more useful. Turn off notifications from apps that aren't useful, use social media via the browser, use widgets that remind you of your tasks, use your phone to read more, etc etc etc. anything that makes using your phone more of an actual conscious useful thing to do. 2. Pace around, walking helps clear your thoughts when you feel stuck 3. Keep a notebook handy to just jot down whatever you think of, just whatever, helps you organize later. 4. Stop needing to feel productive all the time, and accept that there are times when you'll end up doing nothing, and that is okay, it's how it should be, you're not a machine.

[@chublez]

Yea. Don't make yer phone a thing you need to switch back and forth. Just declutter it. Do try grayscale if you haven't it's absurd how effective it is at not only making it less tempting to play with but reminding you that you don't want to be and it doesn't prevent any of the core functions a phone needs to do. Web based vs an app is just plain good hygiene tbh. Apps have way more access to your phone than a website, why if it's not needed?

[@MrRobotman]

"Making a schedule, customizing your phone, tinkering with a new app, watching productivity videos, etc are all wastes of time that make you feel like you're doing something without you doing anything at all." Yes. This. In 2021 I turned over a new leaf and was consistently more productive. But then I started noticing another problem: I wasn't actually doing anything, I was getting things done that weren't adding much value to my life.

[@armadillito]

As ever, the boring and nuanced but effective solutions to problems rarely sell books or win elections.

[@labibrashidinan9868]

@@chublez An app has to make it's case right, if its basically the same as it's website, what benefit do I have for having the app? and another thing I do, which I call the "next notification method", is I look at every single notification that dings my phone, every single time, if it's useful then its alright, but if the next notification is not useful, I just go to the app's settings and disable notifications for either the app entirely or that category.

[@MrRobotman]

​@@labibrashidinan9868 You can use this technique for "batching", where you only get notifications at specific times. iOS has this built-in, meanwhile on Android there's an app called "Regain". I don't feel there's a point to having random notifications on your phone trying to distract you from everyday life.

[@magicstyx]

This KZbin video is practically word for word a conversation I’ve had with my therapist.

[@nothingness2250]

while watching the beginning of this video, i noticed the short jumpcuts that it was composed of, and how much easier it made it for me to stay engaged. it was such a thoughtful and ingenious tactic. also, THANK YOU for mentioning people with attention disorders!!! i have a lot of loved ones with adhd, and while some of these tips may work for them, i know that they'll need adjusting at the very least (one of them thrives with multitasking, for example, to the point where he plays video games while we call to HELP him pay attention to me!) it means a lot to know that you're thinking about everyone involved, and giving everyone in the world the tools to help themselves as best as you can. i will definitely be watching this channel more in the future, and recommending this video to all of my friends. thank you!!!

[@ArjunSharma-lu3nn]

I've been struggling with an exponentially deteriorating attention span recently. The insight at the end of the video is something I haven't seen anywhere in five years of productivity content. I think I need to stop focusing on that next app that'll help me timeblock better, and instead figure out a way to go to sleep without listening to a podcast and genuinely erase multitasking from my life. Thank you for this video!

[@gowns77]

This is my first time a video made me want to comment. Thank you so much for putting this together! I also tried many things including meditation (I have been using headspace on and off for 7 years now) and all kinds of productivity tips from internet, books and other sources. Every time I try something new, I always get into a trap where it works well until it doesn’t, because something happens in your life that makes all the “tricks” burdensome, instead of helpful. Then, the system collapses and you’re at the same place all over again. Now I understand why when I’m regularly meditating, all the productivity tips would actually work instead of only making me more anxious or obsessive over the tips themselves. This is such a revelation for me and I appreciate that you really dig into the “reason why meditation works”. I think you have such a great critical thinking and problem solving skills. Thank you!

[@sammybananny]

samesies! you said it better

[@bhangela]

how cool! i def relate to your experience. here's to trying to be more consistent in the practice of meditation and mindfulness lol

[@thejtotti29]

Been feeling scattered lately, so I’m grateful for this excellent reminder that I need to return to my meditation routine. It is crazy how effective it is, and it’s always there, but it’s also easy (at least for me) to fall back out of the habit of training my awareness. We’re all falling up here, trust the process!

[@ivanovov.7062]

The way I smiled when you woke up where you started…a lot of videos end just before this point but you kept on going! Love the presentation, it’s like unlocking the mystery that is our brain but never fully opening the door, and being content with leaving it ajar.

[@wellnesswizardsofficial]

The thing about meditation is that you might not feel the difference after once, or five times. It’s a gradual untangling that takes place over a period of time. The key is to keep doing it until you feel the effects. My kids and I meditate every night before going to bed and we see the difference every passing day. We also tried to do a SMART goal (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time bound Goal) and worked on reducing screen time, meditating and getting restorative sleep and we documented it on our channel and it was a very fun journey indeed! I have to give kudos to Sabrina for committing this hard in every single project and am looking forward to more answers in progress :) ❤

[@uufruity]

That’s so cool that you got your kids in on it! In an age where technology and social media is so apparent, meditation is important to get you back in the moment. Children should be in the present moment in their early developmental years rather than having unlimited entertainment at their fingertips to distract themselves all day and not remember what they watched the next day. I ought to use SMART goals myself… :)

[@konahayo]

I love this video. I'm glad I added it to my Watch Later list. I am now more AWARE that, not only is meditation important, but there is another person out there like me: analytical, believes in balance, a woman who loves wordplay. Thank you Sabs :) I was typing this at the end of the video and my Watch Later list progressed to the next video. I was still typing and posted this comment on a completely separate video 😂

[@genesisminyety4455]

The quality of your videos is amazing, please never stop making them, my new confort channel

[@ms_ch]

this channel is so good, be welcomed and enjoy!

[@andybearchan]

I needed this so badly. I am single mom. There is always something that needs doing. Multitasking is a focus killer, but you need to be able to multitask or nothing gets done. I am going to seriously try meditation, never been good at it.

[@neuplop]

I think the reason meditation works is because you're teaching your brain to focus. You're not trying to do anything tangible, you're just focusing and getting better at it. Similar to running, you don't get faster or last longer because you were late and had to run for something,even if it happens frequently, you only get better if you train it, and when you need it, it shows.

[@Karlyr_]

The last minute or so is so crucial. Throughout the video I was like : "You're burning yourself, that's why it doesn't work". Even your graph, you said it best : "The peaks weren't there anymore, but I was consistent throughout". And then you showed the line "spectrum". And that's how it resumes it best. You can go deep into productivity, very deep, burnout deep. But until you realize that you need the time to "re-center", to tone down, to give yourself some time, you don't see the use for it. For me this year, it was just reading books... Thing I stopped doing for 10 or so years. Anyway, all that to say that some people judge entire workforce off of numbers, and then wonder why everyone leaves or end up on burnout...

[@thatRyzzle]

I love the shot of Sabrina meditating, wearing a Space Invaders shirt, and with her cat sitting right next to her while staring intensely into the camera.

[@Moragoth86]

18:51 for cat view.

[@meepinandmorpin]

this was my gentle hum today! i didn't realize how effective therapy has been for me until watching this. i kind of intuitively dance along the spectrum between meditation and guards intuitively as i check in and notice how i'm feeling about my level of focus and where it's directed.

[@mutebanshee7769]

I have ADHD and putting everything in my life into a set schedule burns me out so fast. But meditation has been a really great addition to my life. Being able to be mindful and center when things are getting too much is great.

[@insu_na]

You hit the nail on the head for why I hate things like Meditation. "Yeah you just focus on your breathing and bla bla" OK. FIRST OF ALL. What is "focus on your breathing"? Do I need to count the number of breaths? Do I need to measure the amplitude of breaths? Do I need to enforce sinusoidal breaths? What does focussing on my breathing even mean?!?! And let's assume that I have achieved this mystical focus on my breath: What next? I know I'm not getting a confirmation notification at least. What am I supposed to do once I have ensured perfect sinusoidal breaths?!

[@mweeee]

I think outside of the breathing, you’re just supposed to do nothing, just sit and do nothing at all

[@aff77141]

That's more hating how meditation is described by randos who barely know anything about meditation to begin with, than hating meditation, because it sounds like you haven't exactly had a place to start. Try Healthy Gamers youtube

[@wikia9278]

you shouldn't force your breathing or anything. you should observe your breathing, notice if there are any spots of your body where you feel tense, relax those spots and all in all, just stay in this moment.

[@RiyaMystery]

​@@aff77141I think it's because, we don't. To someone who can't focus on reading a page ,after trying all these tips of removing distractions and avoiding multitasking, doing nothing seems.. kinda terrifying.

[@glowfishin1]

I think it's about noticing all the questions that pop up as you do the meditation and then lighly letting them go "like you are touching the thought with a feather." Noticing the questions means you are doing it right

[@Lia-cp6oz]

I'm trying so much to stop using my phone and actually doing what i want/need to do and this video showed up at the right moment and I'm so happy that I watched it in one sitting, with no distractions or giving up to short videos. I'm also impressed by the quality of this video, short videos made me lose a lot of touch with quality things

[@DarshK]

Everything about this video is phenomenal... the filming, editing, animations, data analysis, EVERYTHING. I learned a lot from this as can all of the viewers. Keep up the amazing work.

[@AnastasiaNewell]

This is the first video I've watched from this channel, on recommendation from Hank & Johns "Were Here" email, and I loved watching this. The details are so intentional in this, you put so much love and care into the making of this and it's genuinely a work of art (& science in relatable terms). Well done & thank you!

[@austingreene9982]

As someone with ADHD, your rant in the middle of the video about sand falling and feeling like you need to catch it, is a perfect summation of what it feels like to have ADHD, and even with medication it is a struggle not only to catch the sand but to dedicate the mental and physical energy to even do so.

[@sherrile]

The short sequence of you meditating next to your cat should have a thought bubble over your cat's head saying "Ah, you are learning."

[@NabhPal17]

बिल्ली कही होगी, "शाबाश ; अब आपने मेरे charitable opppuuurrrrrings का स्वीकार कर उपयोग किया। I'm puuurrrroood of you." 🐈😺😸 🤭

[@DelicateTask]

So you have science and research and data, and all I have is my subjective experience and some measure of self awareness, so I’m not going to frame anything I’m about to say as truth of any kind: So I’ve done things in the past to reduce distractions, or even create scenarios of intentional boredom so that by contrast the thing I should be doing is more interesting than doing nothing. I’ve had some success with these methods, being more creative and spending more time on my writing. I’ve also been trying to get more housework done and being more proactive about chores. All of these things that I need to do or should be doing take focus and energy and leave me feeling exhausted. When you said that eliminating distractions had made you more productive and focused, I was waiting for the crash, and sure enough that’s what you experienced. Our brains often need some kind of recreation to restore balance after a lot of focusing. Often I’ll try to fulfill this need through games, movies, alcohol, etc. so that I can get back to focusing, but sometimes even those are too noisy and engaging (and also take time and can become distractions themselves) and what I end up doing is simply nothing. Not the same as just being bored, but often sitting outside and just looking at birds and hearing the wind. I think this is similar to the result you got with meditation. I sometimes have to stop thinking and doing and just exist. It is the most effective thing for recharging my brain after having to focus, and while I’ve been resistant to the idea of meditation, I’m now realizing that maybe it’s not so far from what I’ve been doing.

[@Anynmous09]

I found your video to be much more engaging and not just listing out the pop-science ways. You are even revealing the turns and blockages that you faced while searching for the answer. And from my personal view, you are somehow encouraging the folks to research and brainstorm on their problem in order to find the solution on their own :)

[@hugboat]

I love this! As someone who has tried many of the "productivity hacks" and only stuck with a few of them long-term, this feels like a missing piece to the puzzle of my mind. I have felt similar to your first stance on meditation, and even intimidated by it because I associate it with a religion that didn't work for me... but this has me excited to try meditation. This may be your best video yet. I felt like I went on a journey of familiar concerns, but came away with satisfying answers and takeaways. Thank you for your efforts!

[@seabrookel5037]

Haven’t watched this yet, but I was literally just watching a SciShow video on how ADHD stimulants work because ADHD folks are chronically understimulated, neurochemically-speaking, and wondered how that might relate to today’s culture of distraction and attention challenges, then flipped to my Subscriptions tab and this was the video at the top. 😂

[@xnajx]

As someone with ADHD I have about 0 attention span, and I hate the way it makes me feel. The way in which Sabrina produces these videos is quite unique and I’m hooked. I can’t usually watch long KZbin videos on similar topics without switching off within 5 mins.

[@jerry_le_sax]

Sabrina is singlehandedly making me a better person. I watched about 7 videos on this channel over the past 2 days, and aside from learning a bunch, I've also implemented some lifestyle changes that I think will actually work. Thank you so much to you and the entire Answer in Progress team!!

[@rosekopelowitz5069]

At 9 months pregnant I feel like focus is as precious as gold. Every day is getting hard to do classwork. I'm so excited for finals, I've only got a couple weeks to go. Thanks for the tips

[@lowwastehighmelanin]

Congratulations. Expect this to be the norm for a while. My brain fog took about 3 years to go away.

[@Oluwademiladeak]

The fact that I sat through this video, is testament to just how insanely good in terms of the knowledge and insights it give, and how incredibly well she puts it all together.

[@Gear_Storm]

I was surprise by the ending because as someone who has lived with severe anxiety disorder and depression among other mental health disorders most of my life, mindfulness was taught to me constantly, I never expected to see someone have to go on such a long research journey to learn how it can help with stuff like this. If your interested, I suggest looking into things like cognitive behavioral therapy (cbt) or just more about mindfulness in general. Its really useful for just... getting out of your own head when your over thinking everything or trapped in a learned way of how things are meant to be, learning how to work with yourself and ground yourself when you need it or just let yourself be when you need it. For me it can be like being put in control of a small child and tasked to help them through their day, what they need when, if distractions are sometimes helpful, and when to remind them that this task is important and the faster its done the faster you can do something else. Sometimes I like to make a game out of staying focused so the focused topic fulfils is my need for a distraction (learning to recognize when craving distractions is just craving stimulation because your current task isnt stimulating enough helped me a lot) Mindfulness is really good for people. I hope more people who dont need it for mental health disorders can learn about it and use it everyday.

[@DetectiveNiko]

We NEED to stop using CBT as an acronym for cognitive behavioral therapy.

[@carol-oj6cm]

i love how always i'm going through something, sabrina comes and makes a video about that exact same thing. and every minute of it, i see we're more alike and suffering in the same way. i just had downloaded a minimalist phone aplication right before watching this video, felling terrible for not being able to control my attention spam, and now i'm eager to start trying the other things you did too. thx for the amazing video!!!

[@ngocnguyen2717]

ive been watching so many self-help videos these days, and i have to admit this one is the realest, most relatable to my life so far in my entire life :)

[@elleliteracy]

the way the clip where you’re venting about a lack of focus is out of focus.. visual storytelling!!! amazing!!!

[@YeshusTeja]

I like how the camera goes out of focus when you are unable to focus. Nice touch!

[@MelodiesUnheard]

Finally, an actual person with similar experience with mine who did a scientific analysis and found an actual solution to the short attention problem! Thank you Sabrina, I now know what to do :)

[@elinevergniol4754]

I clicked on your video just out of my feed and I am so amazed about the quality of it ! You really bring up questions and answers, it was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you !

[@edvaira6891]

Sabrina is always the most DELIGHTFULLY INTENSE person during her segments!

[@enricopicotti7138]

So, I postponed watching this video for the past month, because I didn't want to hear the solution to my problems yet. This video (also the entire channel) is pure gold, it perfectly summarizes tons of tips and suggestions that I got from different source of information. I highly suggest everyone to rewatch the video in a couple days and see your improvements over time, but the key for achieving a long-term goal is starting with baby steps and implement over time something new in your daily/weekly routine. Let's become the better version of ourselves.

[@MeToniE]

I love how your videos come out. I can see the amount of work and time you put into it, and it's visually appealing along with informational AND entertaining. It gives me dopamine watching them. Thank you

[@myrtasz1036]

honestly I'm proud for even sitting through this video

[@crizlu7595]

how have i been living without knowing this chanel?? all the videos are super helpful and its not just like the typical channels that explains a certain topic, but this answers questions within questions without getting me to click off its like learning but fun

[@maggiebookworm]

I love this so much. The concept of the spectrum between productivity hacks and meditating is kind of blowing my mind. Also this is my first time watching your channel and i am so impressed with the rigourous research, the statistical analysis AND great storytelling. I feel like you took me on a journey

[@kbleu5910]

I love how much dedication AND honesty you put into these videos.

[@kizuna2002]

Loved this! The last 5-10 minutes are amazing and align with what I realized works the best for me. By consciously choosing to meditate I realized that I am not only focusing on regaining strength but also working on my mental health. As a muslim my meditation is my prayer five times a day. Preparing for it by doing the washing, then performing the prayer helps me relax. And at the end when I pray to God and ask Him for help and guidance, I began to realize what it is that concerns and stresses me at the moment. So I am not only meditating but also actively thinking about my life and what I want and wish for. Thus focusing on my mental well being. Because now I know what it is that bothers me or that I wish for! Amazing work 💪🏻 Thank you!

[@tiffablue]

When I was first diagnosed with ADHD, my treatment regimen relied heavily on meditation! It’s certainly not a panacea and my brain will always be Like This, but it’s a helpful tool in my arsenal. The way I think of it, I have a baseline level of ADHD unfocus, and meditation helps to minimize the regular flavor unfocus that everyone else experiences stacked on top of the ADHD. Will I ever be 100%? No, but I can reliably decrease some of the unfocus!

[@lemmetalkaboutthis]

I found it works really well to learn to estimate how much focus a given task will require (of a total of 100% focus that is rarely achieved on purpose, let alone for long), and then set up a purposeful distraction that will soak up the rest of the focus, and prevent unwanted distractions from getting any space (my distractions come from headphones, which obviously block out the outside). I mostly consume media by listening to it rather than watching, so I'm aware this method won't work for everyone. Like, if I need to go over lists that require a lot of attention (80-90%), I'll listen to music that has no vocals (about 10% focus required), or it has very simple, calm vocals I've heard about a million times before (about ~15%). But if I'm doing embroidery, or crochet, which is largely done with little thinking and mostly just repetitive hand-movements (10-20%), I'll put on an exciting audiobook or podcast that I've not heard before (70-90%, depends on how engaging and how much is happening at once). The middle ground will be stuff with vocals, like songs (30-40%), or more impactful stuff like podcasts (40-60%, depends on how many speakers and how important it is to catch every word), that I've _already heard before,_ so they won't be as much of a distraction as new stuff would.

[@mattieboombatti]

That motion animation graphic at 5:00 is sick as hell