IMPROVE YOUR ATTENTION SPAN And Transform Your Life! Since the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world last year, many things have gotten shorter, like school days and our patience. But perhaps the main thing that’s grown shorter for all of us is our attention spans. In 2019, researchers from the Technical University of Denmark reported that our collective attention span is indeed narrowing — and it may be because we’re bombarded with tons of information that we don’t want to “miss out” on, whether we’re scrolling through Facebook or finding new videos on YouTube. Unfortunately, a poor attention span can affect us in many ways. It may impact our performance at school or work or cause communication difficulties in relationships. It may even result in poor health related to self- neglect and an inability to practice healthy habits.
feel natural to focus on a single task for a longer period of time than normal, but, with a routine, it’ll get more comfortable as time goes on.
Second, give the Pomodoro method a try. Named after a tomato- shaped timer that its creator used, the Pomodoro method has gained a lot of attention over the years as a brain workout, and it’s a great way to slowly expand your attention span while accomplishing tasks. To get started, think of a small task. Then, set a timer to 25 minutes (or longer, if your attention span will allow). Work on your task for 25 minutes straight. Then, take a five-minute break. After the break, repeat the process. After four rounds, take a break of 15–20 minutes. Congratulations, you’ve used the Pomodoro method, which you can repeat as many times as you want. It’s very handy for getting your tasks finished in a flash, despite any attention span issues! Third, meditate, work out, or adopt new educational interests. Anything that keeps your brain, body, and spirit engaged can help you learn how to focus better. There’s plenty of research that shows the benefits of meditation and exercise to your focus — the trick is exploration. Not every form of meditation, exercise routine, or hobby will work for you, so don’t give up right away! Stay curious and keep exploring. We’re living in a technological age where we can learn almost anything and reach almost anyone at the tap of a button, so we have to learn how to create opportunities for ourselves. We hope these tips help you get started!
How do you fix it? Is it even possible to improve your attention span? Yes, you can! But it will take time. Here are a few ways you can get started.
First, accept that you may make yourself a little mentally uncomfortable while expanding your attention span. It simply won’t
Skin Care Secrets From the Sun Belt
ARE YOU DOING THESE 3 THINGS?
In our cover article, Dr. Sukkar talks about the summer sun that’s closer than we might think. But the fact is, over half of Americans live in the Sun Belt, a loose grouping of southerly states that receive way more sun than clouds on a yearly basis. And whether you’re in Los Angeles, Louisiana, or right here in Texas, it pays to bring your skin care A-game to the table, founded on the three must-haves of taking care of your skin. The first on the list? Vitamin C — both because it’s so foundational and because it’s the first part of your daily skin care regimen! We like the SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF or SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic products for this treatment. Vitamin C smooths out lines, helps even dark spots, and stops free radicals in the environment from damaging your skin. Why apply it in the morning? That’s when UV radiation is highest. Just be sure to let the treatment absorb fully before heading out, as that same UV radiation can limit the vitamin’s effectiveness otherwise.
You don’t have to be a skin care guru (although we are!) to guess the second item on this list: That’s right, it’s sunscreen! But with a dizzying array of options, and different things working for different skin types, what’s going to be right for you? Two broad-spectrum sunscreens come immediately to mind, both made by Alastin. One, their HydraTINT Pro Mineral Broad-Spectrum SPF 36, is perfect for going on right over skin treatments, such as vitamin C treatments. This sunscreen works great for daily use but is still water-resistant (and reef-friendly!). For beach days, go with Alastin Broad Spectrum SPF 30+ instead. It’s a great, balanced formula with botanicals your skin will love. Morning, noon, and night, that’s how it goes, right? As the day winds down, you’re going to want to treat your skin to a nighttime treatment that will leave you fresh and vivified the next morning. You can’t do better than SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.5 or Retinol 1.0, two divine PM-only retinol
treatments. These products — vitamin A derivatives that promote cellular turnover — keep the healthy- looking cells on the skin’s surface. That’s great for imperfections and pore visibility, but we really love how well it fights the effects of aging, too. No matter where you live, we hope these secrets from the Sun Belt help you take care of your skin. And if you love insider tips like these, don’t keep us a secret — refer a friend to our clinic and reap the rewards!
2 | 281-940-1535
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator