There Are 4 Main Types Of Focus & They're All Being Disrupted — Here's What You Can Do

"We need to stop blaming ourselves," Hari says. "If you can't focus and pay attention, if your kids can't focus and pay attention, it's not your fault. There's not something wrong with them; there's something wrong with the environment in which we live."

Focus is a perplexing and sometimes elusive phenomenon that most people struggle with today. You may view focus as one overarching concept and feel your inability to pay attention applies to most or all situations where concentration is required. 

In his book Stand Out of Our Light, Williams argues that digital technology's ability to exploit our attention is the biggest threat to human freedom of our generation. He identifies three types of attention: your spotlight, your starlight, and your daylight. (Hari argues there's one more, called our stadium lights—more on that later.)

The first type of focus is your ability to narrow your focus onto a specific, immediate task. Williams calls it your spotlight because you need to ignore everything around you so you can focus on the short-term goal at hand. 

When we think of our inability to focus, this is often the type of scenario that comes to mind. The never-ending stream of notifications is constantly distracting us from the task we're trying to accomplish at any given moment. And while the disruption of your spotlight is downright frustrating (or worse), Hari argues it's the least important of the four types of focus.

The second type of focus is your ability to achieve a long-term goal—like starting a business, writing a book, or running a marathon. Williams calls it your starlight because any time you feel like you're lost in the desert, you can look up and remember where you're going. 

Achieving long-term goals requires time—to take action but also to rest, think deeply, and reflect so you can be intentional about your next steps. If you're constantly switching between tasks, it takes away from that crucial time. 

Working toward long-term goals is great, but how do you even know what your long-term goals are? How do you know you want to start a business? Or write a book? Or run a marathon? Your daylight is the "why" behind your long-term goals. Williams calls it this because you can see a room most clearly when it's flooded with daylight.

Williams explains that without your daylight, you begin to "decohere"—i.e., you lose sight of who you are and what you want out of life.

Hari calls it our stadium lights because we need to be able to see each other in order to achieve progressive societal shifts. 

According to Hari, our attention has collapsed not only on an individual level but on a societal level as well. "You can see this in our politics, right? We can't talk to each other. We can't listen to each other. And we can't achieve collective goals," he explains.

Goleman believes leaders need strengths in three specific areas of focus:

In Focus, Goleman explains that, when properly balanced, this triple focus helps drive performance and success. This leadership style can apply to anyone leading a team—whether the CEO of a startup or the parenting team of a family of four. 

Luckily, there's a light at the end of the tunnel. "When you start to get your attention back, you begin to feel competent again, and it's such a powerful feeling," Hari shares.

Now that we've established the types of focus and the many ways they're disrupted in modern society, how can we empower ourselves to take back control of our stolen attention? 

Not sure where to start? Check out our focus and concentration supplement roundup to discover the best nootropics on the market. 

"Most people reach for coffee when their focus falters, but they might consider taking an exercise break instead. Many studies have demonstrated the benefits of exercise on executive function, which relates strongly to both focus and productivity—even after just one session," she explains.

Keep track of your self-experiments in your very own neurohacker's lab notebook to identify patterns and determine the exact interventions that help you focus the best. For more information on how to conduct self-experiments, check out Ricker's book, Smarter Tomorrow. 

There are some great focus tools (both physical and digital) that can help you establish healthier habits. Consider one of these products to help you pay attention and improve your productivity. 

On a personal level, it doesn't matter whether you tackle your attention challenges with a targeted focus supplement, phone safe, or neurohacking tips—the solution that enhances your ability to focus is the best option for you.*