5 ways to increase attention (using neuroscience!)

💡 Valuable Things Kids Don’t Learn In School

You’re probably familiar with the neurotransmitter dopamine — it’s often blamed whenever experts examine why social media is so addictive. And while dopamine does play a role in why kids can’t seem to put away their phones, it’s also much more than that!

Dopamine is the brain’s motivational center. It can improve our kids’ focus and make it feel more rewarding for them to take action on their goals. It can also affect our kids’ memory, problem-solving abilities, and even their sleep!

Dopamine is powerful — our kids can either learn how to use it to their advantage, or let it be used against them.

Here are 5 ways to help your kids stay focused on their goals, using the power of dopamine:

1. Telling yourself you’re moving towards your goals can register as “reward.”

Andrew Huberman says not to underestimate how much the dopamine system and the sense of whether you are on the right track are under your cognitive control. (Listen to his full podcast on dopamine and motivation here).

This means that we can largely decide what our brain views as a “reward” — including making progress toward our goals. 

Next time your kids are working on a long-term project, encourage them to register it and reflect on how much of a win that already is. This will get their brain to start viewing action as inherently rewarding.

2. Make sure your kids are getting sun exposure during the day.

We all know that getting too little sunlight is associated with reduced levels of all sorts of mood-boosting transmitters (seasonal affective disorder), including dopamine.

But just 10-30 minutes of sun exposure can help regulate dopamine (of course, too much sun exposure can be very damaging so don’t overdo it and remember to use protection!).

Combine this with reducing your child’s light exposure, especially to blue light, in the evenings, which can disrupt sleep (and subsequently disrupt dopamine). 

3. Make sure your kids are getting regular, frequent exercise.

Studies have shown that just 20 minutes of exercise is enough to improve concentration and focus.

Exercise doesn’t just help with dopamine regulation, however — it can help with anxiety, depression, memory, sleep, overall energy levels, and so much more (all of which can make it more difficult for your child to focus and achieve their goals). 

4. Play instrumental music while your kids study.

Listening to instrumental music while studying has been shown to increase dopamine levels, which can improve concentration and focus.

Here’s a Spotify playlist designed for deep focus to get you started.

5. Encourage your kids to be bored.

Boredom is critical. It makes it possible for kids to learn how to self-regulate their dopamine levels — but too often, boredom is interrupted by phones, social media, TV, or other distractions. 

If our kids never feel bored, they’ll never learn how to sustain action towards long-term goals that don’t deal out regular hits of dopamine the way social media or other quick fixes do.

So, next time your kids feel bored, encourage them to practice sitting with that feeling instead of trying to immediately fill it. When they wait past the immediate instinct to reach for their phone, what do they want to do instead? They just might discover that they prefer the way they spend their time without their digital distractions!

⚡️ 2 Tutorials

1. Why teens should use LinkedIn — and how to help them get started. (link)

2. How the Pygmalion Effect can help teens achieve big goals (link)

🚀 3 Tools To Boost Your Teen’s Productivity

1. Paperclips — Avoid wasted study time by auto-generating flashcards

2. AI Cover Letter — Create a professional cover letter in seconds

3. Meiro — Build engaging tests, quizzes, and study games

Thanks for reading!

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Until next time,
Ivy
CEO Prequel, BETA Camp, Apollo
Follow my journey on LinkedIn