How attentive are you? One way to check is to run this little thought experiment: Sit quietly in a chair, with a second-hand watch or clock nearby, close your eyes, and check to see how long you can ...

With so much going on these days, it’s no surprise that many of us frequently feel distracted. We get constant notifications on our phones and computers, have an endless array of TV shows waiting for ...

Diet and lifestyle changes, such as getting enough sleep and practicing mindfulness, may help improve concentration. In some cases, difficulty concentrating may indicate an underlying health issue.

I arrived at M.I.T. in the fall of 2004. I had just turned twenty-two, and was there to pursue a doctorate as part of something called the Theory of Computation group—a band of computer scientists who ...