Focus and Self control

Today’s world is busy. There are so many things to remember, juggle and keep up with. Even young children have a lot of information to juggle, especially as their attention span is a moving target throughout their early development. This is especially difficult for young children who are still developing the skills they need to remember and manage everything on life’s ever-growing to-do list.

Focus and self-control

In “The Mind in the Making,” author Ellen Galinksy explains what focus and self-control really mean. Focus and self-control consist of four different skills: focus, cognitive flexibility, working memory and inhibitory control.

1. Focus refers to attention and involves being alert and “orienting.” Orienting refers to the ability to focus one’s attention on the specific tasks that will help them accomplish whatever their goal is. Concentration is also a big part of focus as children get older.
2. Cognitive flexibility means someone is able to change the focus of their attention, change perspectives and even adjust to changing situations, priorities or demands. This is really the ability of your brain, thinking and acting to adjust to things that happen.
3. Working memory is like a holding cell in your brain where you hold information that you can continue to change and update as needed. When your working memory is developed, you can hold information in your head, add to it, cross things off when they are completed and think about what you need to do to accomplish each task. Working memory also helps us relate ideas or experiences to things you have already learned or previous experiences.
4. Inhibitory control refers to the ability to stop yourself from doing things. These skills are useful when you are faced with a difficult task that you are tempted to give up on, helping you act in appropriate ways and simply stopping and taking stock before you act. Exhibiting inhibitory control necessitates control of attention, emotions and behavior. It could be as simple as the ability to block out your neighbor’s conversation while you try to read your emails at work.