There are a plethora of self-help videos and books that talk about building concentration. The idea of building something that isn't tangible might feel abstract, but the brain works on connections that literally are built. These connections, or synapses, must be exercised just like a muscle, or they will weaken in the same way an atrophied muscle weakness from lack of activity. Similarly, so it goes for brain fatigue. The brain needs breaks, or it will tire out. There is a balance to be achieved, under stimulation vs. overstimulation Setting aside time for breaks acknowledge the need to work hard and then rest so as to maximize brain functioning. Therefore, when engaging in a difficult task or project, intense focus is imperative, followed by a small break to recalibrate the mind. Sometimes simply flowing through the day consciously flipping from difficult tasks to easier tasks can allow for this recalibration, other times a more scheduled break is warranted.
Breaks are a tricky concept however because while they are necessary to rest the mind and refocus our brain power, too many unscheduled breaks can lead to a lack of focus. Studies suggest that it can take up to 25 minutes to regain focus after a distraction or break in concentration. This holds true for even the slightest distraction, a telephone ring, a loud noise, or a ping from social media is more than enough to break focus even if the distraction is dismissed. That moment in which the mind shifts from the flow of total focus to the acknowledgment of an environmental factor is the moment when nearly a half an hour is added to a project. That is not an exaggeration for the average person. Worse yet, refocusing on the task at hand uses up energy. Thus, the distraction has now burned the candle at both ends.
Being able to respond to a change in the environment is a necessary survival mechanism. We have an innate ability to drown out our surroundings until an environmental cue signals us to respond. This ability keeps us alive. This survival mechanism is termed «up scrutiny», an involuntary reaction to something in our external environment. A main component of the mind's capacity to block out distractions is habituation. The process of habituation results from the repeated stimulus and the way in which the mind processes constant external stimulus. It is important. When we learn to refine our mind's skills to focus and concentrate, we are not learning to shut this off, but rather to tone its filtration system. When we train ourselves to possess undivided focus, we enter into a flow that is only disrupted by necessity. On the flip side of «up scrutiny» is «down scrutiny». This is the conscious, selective focus. Is under voluntary control. Selective focus begins with a broad view or thought, slowly fading into a specific image or topic. It is like searching for a hidden picture, as a blurry foreground becomes precise and all that exists is one specific topic. In Pali, the language of the Buddha, concentration mea "one-pointedness". This is the moment when all else is lost except one thing and the mind's laser focus upon it. This is the moment we seek in stillness.
Conclusion! Brain Concentration - this combination (breaks, process of habituation) and up scrutiny and down scrutiny. Though surrounded by chaos, a focused mind is unwavering, and nothing can stand in its way.