Attention training is the deliberate practice of strengthening your ability to focus, sustain, shift, and control attention, instead of letting it be pulled around by distractions, impulses, or emotional triggers.
In psychology, attention may not be a single skill; it could be a system you can train much like a muscle.
Core Components of Attention Training
- Sustained Attention
Staying focused over time (reading without drifting) - Selective Attention
Filtering out distractions (focusing in a noisy room) - Executive Control
Choosing what to focus on and resisting impulses - Attentional Shifting
Moving focus flexibly when needed (task-switching without losing efficiency)
Evidence-Based Attention Training Methods
1. Mindfulness Training
Rooted in practices:
- Focus on the breath or body sensations
- Notice when attention drifts, gently bring it back
- Builds meta-awareness (awareness of attention itself)
Effect: Improves sustained attention and emotional regulation
2. Focused Attention Exercises
- Pick a single object (breath, sound, visual point)
- Maintain attention for a set time (5–10 minutes)
- Restart when distracted
This is like “reps” for your attentional system.
3. Cognitive Training Tasks
Maybe used in neuropsychology and ADHD interventions:
- Continuous Performance Tasks (CPT)
- Dual n-back tasks
- Stroop tasks
Effect: Strengthens executive control and working memory
4. Environmental Structuring
- Remove distractions (phone, notifications)
- Use time blocks (25-minute focus sessions)
This may support attention externally while you build it internally.
5. Attentional Control Training (ACT)
Maybe used in anxiety treatment:
- Deliberately shift attention between stimuli (sound, sight, body)
- Trains flexibility and reduces fixation (rumination)
6. Physical Foundations
Sometimes overlooked but critical:
- Sleep quality
- Exercise (especially aerobic and anaerobic)
- Nutrition: Non-GMO foods, please consult a clinical Dietician
These directly affect attentional capacity and fatigue.
Clinical Applications
Attention training is used for:
- ADHD
- Anxiety disorders (reducing hypervigilance)
- Depression (interrupting rumination)
- Addiction (impulse control)
- Trauma (stabilizing focus and grounding)
A Deeper Insight
From a psychological and parapsychological lens, attention training is essentially about “attentional sovereignty”, regaining control over where consciousness is allocated.
Untrained attention is:
- Reactive
- Fragmented
- Stimulus-driven
Trained attention becomes:
- Intentional
- Stable
- Directed
In fields like Controlled Remote Viewing (CRV), this becomes crucial, because attention is treated not just as cognition, but as a targeting mechanism of awareness.
Simple Daily Protocol (5–15 minutes)
- 5 min: Breath-focused attention
- 5 min: Open monitoring (notice thoughts without engaging)
- Optional: 5 min deliberate shifting (sound, body, visual field)
- Shervan K Shahhian
LIBERTY PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION 