The secret to concentration - How to increase your attention span | DW Documentary

Main ideas / concepts

• Concentration is crucial for performance

  • In high-stakes moments, the world can “fade,” leaving only the task.
  • Concentration enables people (e.g., athletes, air traffic controllers, e-sports players) to perform precisely and avoid costly mistakes.
  • Even highly trained professionals still rely on concentration—if it slips, performance suffers.

• Concentration can be trained, not “fixed forever”

  • Genes may influence cognitive ability, but concentration is not solely determined by childhood.
  • Environmental factors and habits (distraction vs. deliberate focus) matter significantly.

• Flow state = ultimate goal of concentration

  • Flow includes:
    • Complete immersion in an activity
    • Highly focused attention
    • Feeling of control, clarity, and reward
    • Time distortion / losing track of time
    • “Freedom from fear” rather than euphoric excitement
  • People can enter flow when challenges are just right (not too easy, not too hard).

• How the brain supports concentration (neuroscience points)

  • Concentration involves the prefrontal cortex, which supports planning and self-control and helps block distractions.
  • It strengthens neural communication and increases information processing.
  • Dopamine supports motivation and concentration.
  • Attention is not continuous; the brain works in short “sprints”:
    • Distractions appear
    • You must actively suppress them
    • This suppression is part of “the ability to concentrate.”

• Concentration depends on context and workload

  • Different jobs demand different attention styles:
    • Air traffic control: constant alertness with rapid changes
    • Competitive swimming: precision sequences under pressure
    • E-sports: rapid reaction and frequent task switching

• Routines and structure stabilize attention

  • Consistent routines reduce decision fatigue and free mental capacity for new demands.
  • Routines provide “security and peace of mind,” supporting concentration during competition.

• Mental tools can redirect attention

  • Visualization and metaphors help people return attention inward and regain calm.
  • Managing pressure is part of concentration training (sports psychology/mental coaching).

• Distraction and multitasking reduce performance

  • Multitasking is framed as rapid switching, not true simultaneous processing.
  • Switching creates a “switching cost”:
    • The brain briefly “goes black” / reorients
    • It takes time to regain bearings
    • Errors increase when refocusing

• Breaks prevent system collapse

  • Breaks may need to be more frequent/longer in cognitively demanding, high-stress roles.
  • Stress triggers physical reactions; pushing too long can collapse the system.
  • Effective breaks involve not thinking about work, and doing something different (reading, exercise, relaxing, etc.).

• Digital media and endless content can harm concentration

  • Social media encourages endless scrolling and short bursts of attention.
  • The proposed “ideal solution” is balancing short and long focus periods.

• Pressure is a major enemy of flow

  • Unwanted pressure and fear interfere with performance.
  • Wanting flow “too much” can tense muscles and harm fine motor skills and speed.

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Methodologies / instructions presented

Breathing / reset before starting (swimming-related)

• Take three deep breaths
• Then breathe out consciously
• Before you push off, begin anew (reset state before performance)
• During swimming drills:
  • Glide slowly across the water
  • Breathe minimally to stay straight
  • Relax shoulders
  • Point fingertips
  • Do “fifty times two with a 10-second break”
  • Keep shoulders completely relaxed

Routine-building for concentration (mental-coach / athletes)

• Create fixed routines (example: a consistent morning routine)
• Repeat habitual actions to move tasks toward autopilot
• Use a structured daily schedule to conserve energy and reduce decision load
• Use routine to increase peace of mind, supporting focus in competition

Pre-competition mental preparation (swimming + ADHD management)

• Use music to enter the right mindset
  • Choose familiar songs/artists (mentioned: Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan)
  • Prefer music that “grounds” and calms
  • Take in atmosphere/anticipation shortly before the start
• Use self-talk / affirmations
  • Repeat phrases like “you can do this” multiple times right before competing
• Accept concentration structure
  • Regularity and routines help maintain focus in critical moments

Visualization / metaphors to regain focus (athlete)

• When attention drifts:
  • Use a specific “place” visualization (e.g., aspen leaves, hammock, sun through trees)
  • Spend 2–3 minutes imagining it
  • Return focus to the current task immediately after visualization

Combat negative impulses (coach-demonstrated exercise)

• Demonstration method
  • Hold your arm out and stabilize it
  • Say “fear” → arm weakens / goes down
  • Say “confidence” → arm stays strong
• Apply the concept
  • Treat the subconscious as “in control”
  • Counter negative impulses with positive impulses / self-talk
  • Replace thoughts like “don’t mess up” with empowering cues like “come on” / “you can do it”

Break strategy (air-traffic-control + general mental stamina)

• During breaks:
  • Do something completely different from work
    • Example: reading or working out
  • Avoid thinking about work
• Rationale:
  • High stress triggers physical warning signals
  • Overworking leads to collapse (fatigue, tension, headaches, mental exhaustion)

Managing attention with digital habits (athlete)

• Set boundaries on distracting platforms
  • Example: limit Instagram/TikTok to one hour per day
• Goal:
  • Reduce restlessness caused by digital feeds

Competition mindset principle (flow)

• Avoid the trap:
  • Don’t chase flow aggressively
  • Balance desire and tension; too much wanting can tense the body and reduce performance
• Focus on executing without overthinking outcomes

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Speakers / sources featured (identified)

• Henning Beck — neuroscientist (studies how people think, learn, and understand)
• Angelina Köhler — competitive swimmer / athlete (100m butterfly; world title Doha 2024; 4th at Olympic Games Paris)
• Jan Peter Konopinski — air traffic controller trainee (Leipzig/Halle Airport)
• Thomas Baschab — mental coach
• Monika Liesenfeld — psychologist (sports psychology; works on pressure/excitement and related challenges)
• Dennis (Denninho) — e-sports player (FIFA/EA-FC / Borussia Dortmund Virtual Bundesliga)
• Alexander Steinmetz — e-sports coach / former professional e-footballer
• Corinna Peifer — professor of work and organizational psychology (University of Lübeck; flow research; measurement via physiology)
• Oskar — named instructor/coach for air traffic control (sits next to trainee)
• Lasse — main trainer for Angelina (swimming coach)
• Ole — training partner and friend for Thomas/mentee (mentioned during routines/fun training)
• Oscar — appears as the air traffic controller instructor (same context as “Oscar”; seating/over-shoulder support)
• People/workers in implied roles (not further identified): pilots/controllers/airport/ground-vehicle coordination (as described by Jan Peter)