Memory Digest

Focus, Attention and Multitasking

Attention is the doorway to memory; learn why multitasking makes us forget, how attention changes with age, and practical ways to focus better.

Last reviewed: October 2026

A lot of what feels like "bad memory" is really missed attention. You can't remember where you put your keys if you never noticed putting them down. You can't recall a name you didn't really hear. Attention is the doorway to memory: what gets through is what you have a chance to remember.

How attention and memory work together

When you pay attention to something, your brain holds it briefly in Working Memory, a kind of mental notepad that holds only a few things at a time. From there, some of it gets stored for the long term. If your attention is split, less makes it onto the notepad, and less gets stored.

That's why you can drive home and not remember the trip, or read a page and realize you took in nothing. Your mind was elsewhere.

The truth about multitasking

Most of the time, people don't really do two thinking tasks at once. The brain switches back and forth quickly, and each switch costs a little time and accuracy. Doing two demanding things together, like writing an email while on a phone call, usually means doing both worse.

Research has also looked at people who habitually juggle lots of media at once: TV, phone, texts, browsing. In a well-known 2009 Stanford study, heavy media multitaskers did worse on some tests of filtering out distractions. Later research found a smaller and less consistent effect: a 2017 analysis that combined many studies found only a small link, and some repeat studies didn't find it at all. So the safest conclusion is modest: constant multitasking doesn't train you to be good at it, and it reliably makes it harder to remember what you were doing at the time.

Attention and aging

Some changes are normal with age:

• Processing speed slows a bit. It may take longer to take in information.
• Distractions bite harder. Background noise and interruptions make it harder for many older adults to focus and remember.
• Switching between tasks gets harder.

Knowledge, vocabulary and judgment often stay strong or keep improving. The National Institute on Aging notes that many older adults stay sharp, and that healthy habits help protect thinking skills. See Normal Aging vs. Memory Problems for more.

Things that quietly wreck attention

• Poor sleep. Even one bad night hurts focus (see Sleep and Memory).
• Stress, worry and depression. A worried mind has less room for anything else (see Stress, Anxiety and Memory and Depression and Memory ("Pseudodementia")).
• Hearing or vision problems. If you have to strain to hear, there's less effort left for remembering (see Hearing Loss and Dementia).
• Some medicines, including certain sleep aids, allergy pills and bladder medicines (see Medications That Can Affect Memory).
• Pain, dehydration, too much alcohol and skipped meals.

Practical ways to focus better

Do one thing at a time. For anything you need to remember, give it your full attention, even for just a few seconds.

Narrate important actions. Say quietly, "I'm putting my glasses on the kitchen counter." Saying it out loud forces your attention onto it.

Make "homes" for things. Keys, wallet, phone and glasses always go in the same spot. Then you don't have to remember. (More ideas in Memory Aids and Tools.)

Cut the noise. Turn off the TV when talking or reading. Silence phone notifications when you need to concentrate. Pick a quiet table at restaurants.

Work in short bursts. Focus for 20 to 30 minutes, then take a short break and move around.

Write things down. A list or calendar frees your working memory for the task in front of you.

Handle interruptions on purpose. When interrupted, take two seconds to note where you were: "I was on step three."

Look after the basics. Regular exercise, sleep, social contact and treating hearing loss all support attention.

When to get checked

Everyone loses focus sometimes. Talk to a doctor if attention problems are new, getting worse, or affecting daily life, such as missing bills, getting lost while driving, or others noticing changes. A sudden change in attention, especially with confusion that comes and goes, can be delirium, which needs prompt medical care.

This article is for general information and is not a substitute for advice from your own doctor.

Sources

1. Ophir E, Nass C, Wagner AD. Cognitive control in media multitaskers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2009
2. Wiradhany W, Nieuwenstein MR. Cognitive control in media multitaskers: Two replication studies and a meta-analysis. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 2017
3. National Institute on Aging: Cognitive Health and Older Adults

Not medical advice. This article is general information, not a diagnosis or treatment plan for any individual. Talk with a doctor about your situation.

Related articles

• Working Memory
• How to Improve Your Memory
• Everyday Forgetfulness: When to Worry
• Brain Fog: Causes and Fixes
• Stress, Anxiety and Memory