If you cant read this headline without getting distracted, try the Take Five method for better focus

Is your train of thought constantly derailing?It’s no wonder that attention spans have dwindled in the age of information overload, with news, videos, notifications and ads constantly competing for our time.For example, the average attention span on a screen dropped from 2.5 minutes in 2004 to just 47 seconds in recent years, one researcher found.Stress, anxiety and sleep deprivation are among the top reasons for a short attention span, according to a new survey of 1,000 US adults commissioned by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine.These findings don’t surprise Dr.Evita Singh, a psychiatrist with Ohio State’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health.When her patients express concern about their ability to focus, “there’s a good chance that it ends up being because they’re so stressed out or they’re anxious.”To help them easily remember how to improve their attention span and overall focus, Singh developed a tool called “Take Five.”“Sometimes these small adjustments can go a long way in daily life,” Singh told The Post.She encourages aiming for a five- to 10-minute tech break at least once an hour, especially if you’re aimlessly scrolling through social media.Digital devices are a big source of distraction and enable multitasking, which Singh stresses can be detrimental to attention spans.Research suggests that the brain isn’t well-suited to process several streams of information at once.

The result is typically decreased focus, increased distractibility and reduced cognitive performance.“When people are multitasking, when they have so many things in their mind that they’re thinking about, they can get exhausted,” Singh explained.“And then it’s really hard to enjoy things, which can then lead to depression or anxiety.”Surprisingly, 25% of the respondents to the Ohio State survey said they don’t have trouble with their attention span.Not that short attention spans are all bad.“...