Reclaiming your attention = Reclaiming your life

This article explores why attention has become one of our most undervalued inner resources, what’s happening in the brain when we’re chronically distracted, and how gentle, intentional practices can help leaders reconnect to their intuition, clarity, and inner calm.

Why your attention matters

Attention is more than just focus; it shapes your emotional tone, your clarity, your ability to choose what matters — and your capacity to feel yourself in your own life.

Studies have shown that the average knowledge worker switches tasks every 11 minutes. And when they’re interrupted, it can take more than 23 minutes to return to the same level of concentration. We’re not designed for this kind of constant mental redirection, but modern work and tech habits have made it the norm.

The result isn’t always visible from the outside. But internally, you may notice:

• A diminished sense of clarity or direction

• Lower tolerance for ambiguity, stillness, or decision-making

• Less spaciousness for creativity or reflection

• A sense of disconnection from your values, body, or intuition

When attention is scattered across too many things, the part of you that knows  - your intuition - becomes quieter. And without access to that inner knowing, it’s easy to start operating from pressure rather than presence.

What is happening in the brain when we get distracted?

Distraction is a neurological pattern, not just a behaviour.

The prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for intentional decision-making and emotional regulation, plays a key role in directing attention. When we’re bombarded with inputs, this part of the brain becomes overwhelmed. The more it has to filter and reorient, the more fatigued it gets — a process called directed attention fatigue.

At the same time, the default mode network — the network of brain regions active during mind-wandering and rumination — starts to dominate when we’re not anchored in present-moment awareness. This can increase anxiety, overthinking, and emotional reactivity.

We also know that continuous partial attention (the habit of staying semi-alert to many things at once) can reduce memory function, creativity, and the ability to focus deeply.

In short: your brain is working hard to keep up, even if the distractions feel small.

The impact of distraction on high achievers and leaders

For high achievers and thoughtful leaders, the cost of chronic distraction can look different than expected.

It doesn’t always look like stress or burnout. Sometimes it looks like:

• Performing at a high level, but feeling emotionally flat

• Struggling to make decisions that used to feel instinctive

• Losing touch with your sense of purpose or long-term direction

• Feeling a low hum of dissatisfaction even when things are going well

This experience is often hard to name. There’s no crisis or major breakdown, but more of a quiet sense of being out of sync.

When we start to look gently underneath the surface, we can find that attention has been externally directed for so long that the internal signals have grown faint.

How to reconnect to yourself and your intuition

One of the simplest ways to begin returning to yourself is to notice where your attention is — and offer it some care.

Here’s a small practice you can try at any time:

Pause
Create a small pocket of space, even for a few minutes. Let your breath slow, and allow your body to settle.

Reflect
Ask yourself:

• Where has my attention been today?

• What’s been occupying my energy — mentally, emotionally, physically?

• Do those things feel connected to what matters?

Realign
Place your hand gently on your chest or belly. Let yourself breathe there. Ask:

• What would it feel like to bring some of that attention back to myself?

• What do I need right now, even if I can’t fix everything?

A closing note

Reclaiming your attention doesn’t mean shutting the world out or disappearing. It means building a different relationship with your energy — one that includes you.

Sometimes it’s as simple as:

• Leaving your phone in another room while you eat

• Taking five minutes before your next meeting to breathe

• Letting yourself do one thing at a time

• Asking, “What’s here for me right now?” before responding out of habit

You don’t need a big strategy to come back to yourself. You just need small signals of intention and reminding your brain that your attention matters.

Want support reconnecting?

If any part of this resonates — the scattered energy, the quiet fog, the desire to return to something more present — I’d love to hold space for that journey.

You can book a taster session or discovery call to explore whether intuitive coaching could help you realign with what matters, in your own way and time.

Your attention is one of the most precious things you have.
And it’s never too late to bring it back home.