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Divided attention is the cognitive ability that allows us to manage more than one task at the same time.

Think of chatting with a friend while driving or taking notes while listening to a lecture. Your brain is allocating cognitive resources between two tasks. It processes both visual and auditory stimuli at the same time. And it relies heavily on the prefrontal cortex to do this, especially the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

In our day-to-day lives, we constantly rely on this skill, from managing conversations during meetings to cooking while checking a recipe on our phones. Research in cognitive psychology shows that divided attention plays a role in how we learn, adapt, and interact socially. Therefore, stronger skills can support academic performance, workplace productivity, and even safer driving.

And while simple or familiar tasks performed simultaneously are easier to juggle, complex cognitive tasks quickly test the limits of our brain’s capacity. This is why structured training and divided attention tasks can make such a difference.

Real-Life Divided Attention Examples

Real-Life Example	What You're Dividing Attention Between	Key Cognitive Processes Involved
Driving while talking to a passenger	Visual road monitoring + listening/speaking	Working memory, sensory processing, executive control, spatial attention
Cooking while helping a child with homework	Cooking tasks + reading/listening/responding to the child	Task switching, resource allocation, inhibition
Taking notes while listening to a lecture	Listening + writing/organizing information	Working memory, response selection, executive control
Walking through a busy street while texting	Navigating environment + reading/typing	Sensory processing, inhibition, shifting attention, auditory attention
Monitoring security cameras while answering calls	Visual scanning multiple screens + auditory task	Divided visual attention, working memory, cognitive flexibility
Playing music in a band	Reading sheet music + coordinating with others	Parallel processing, sensory integration, timing
Customer service: helping a client while updating a system	Speaking/analysis + typing/searching for relevant information	Task coordination, working memory, multitasking control

Key Cognitive Processes Used for Divided Attention Tasks

Here are the cognitive processes you rely on while using your divided attention:

• Working memory: divided attention relies heavily on working memory, which allows you to hold and manipulate information from multiple tasks at once.

• Resource allocation: divided attention reflects the distribution of limited mental resources; the brain must decide how to split its limited attention resources across tasks.

• Sensory processing: this is the ability to rapidly take in and interpret information; more efficient sensory processing makes it easier to divide attention across tasks.

• Inhibition: this is the ability to suppress distracting information; the brain must be able to inhibit information from tertiary stimuli while using divided attention to manage two tasks.

• Task monitoring: while using divided attention, the brain must also be able to continuously evaluate task performance and adjust the strategy for the best results.

Divided Attention vs. Selective Attention

It’s important, though, to clear up a common misconception: divided attention compared to selective attention involves fundamentally different cognitive processes.

Selective attention is the ability to choose one out of two stimuli (or more) to focus on. Think of focusing on a friend’s voice at a noisy party. You’re filtering distractions to zero in on what matters (the brain engages in controlled processing).

Divided attention, on the other hand, is more like splitting that beam of light into two. Instead of filtering out information, your brain relies more on its information processing systems to focus on two concurrent tasks (or more) – for example, driving while following GPS directions and talking to a passenger.

Divided Attention Isn’t Merely Multitasking

Divided attention is often associated with multitasking, which is considered counterproductive and can even lead to burnout. While divided attention definitely plays a crucial role in someone’s ability to multitask, it is also extremely important in other daily tasks. Many activities naturally require us to take in information from multiple sources at once, and there’s no practical way to perform them in a completely “single-tasking” manner. For example:

• Driving requires you to keep your eyes on the road, check mirrors, stay aware of traffic signs, and monitor pedestrians.

• Cooking often involves chopping, watching the stove, and timing different processes at once.

Factors Affecting Divided Attention

Our ability to split attention isn’t fixed. It changes based on technology use, age, personal traits, and even the environment we’re in. When you become aware of how these factors affect your divided attention, you’ll find it easier to spot challenges and adopt strategies that help maintain or improve it.

Digital Age Challenges

• Smartphones drain focus: research shows that even the presence of a phone can reduce available brainpower, since part of your attention is busy resisting the urge to check it.

• Constant interruptions: interruptions can delay task completion by up to 400%.

• Media multitasking: heavy multitaskers (e.g., switching between apps, videos, chats) show shorter attention span compared to light users.

• Recovery strategies: digital detox sessions and limiting notifications can improve focus, though challenges like FOMO (fear of missing out) make this tough.

Age-Related Factors

• Performance declines with age. Older adults experience issues with divided attention, especially as tasks get more complex.

• Working memory shows limited capacity, making multitasking harder.

• Training helps. Programs designed for older adults have shown meaningful improvements in both cognition and daily function.

Task Difficulty & Cognitive Load

• The more cognitive skills a task requires, the harder it becomes to manage it.

• Working memory can hold around 7±2 items at once. Multitasking often pushes past this.

• Task similarity and task novelty also influence divided attention: it is easier to divide attention between two similar tasks compared to two different tasks, and it is difficult to divide attention between two novel tasks compared to two familiar tasks.

Individual Differences

• Cognitive abilities. Higher working memory and fluid intelligence predict better performance.

• Motivation & mindset. Grit, conscientiousness, and willingness to practice improve training outcomes.

• Well-being. Poor sleep, high stress, or low energy reduce available cognitive capacity.

Exercises to Enhance Divided Attention

Improving divided attention isn’t just about trying to juggle more tasks at once. It’s about training your brain with structured, evidence-based approaches. Below are some of the most effective strategies backed by research.

1. Attention Process Training (APT)

APT is often considered the gold standard for building attention skills.

• How does it work? APT is a multi-sensory exercise that uses a structured program with sessions that target different aspects of attention: sustained, selective, divided, and alternating.

• What is the best part about APT? It adapts to performance. As you make fewer errors, the difficulty increases, keeping you challenged without being overwhelmed.

2. Mindfulness Practices

Besides being incredibly useful as a stress relief method, mindfulness meditation can also help sharpen attention. Here’s what it can help you with:

• Mindfulness teaches you to be present and aware of several sensations or tasks simultaneously. By practicing holding your awareness on multiple inputs, like sounds, physical sensations, or thoughts, your brain becomes better at processing and responding to more than one stream of information at a time.

• Studies show that regular meditators outperform non-meditators in divided attention tasks. Even short daily sessions of 10 minutes can boost cognitive flexibility.

3. Mendi Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback training with Mendi works a bit like mindfulness meditation, but in a more targeted and measurable way. Instead of focusing on your breath or body sensations, Mendi gives you real-time feedback on your brain activity, specifically the prefrontal cortex. This brain region is responsible for attention, executive control, focus shifting, and inhibiting distractions.

Therefore, Mendi can help:

• Improve sustained attention. Just like mindfulness, neurofeedback teaches you to stay focused for longer periods without getting mentally fatigued.

• Strengthen working memory. Mendi sessions give your prefrontal cortex a workout, helping you hold and juggle more information at once.

• Enhance cognitive flexibility. The constant adjusting during Mendi training helps you shift attention more efficiently between tasks, an essential skill for dividing attention.

• Reduce mind-wandering and distractions. Real-time feedback trains your brain to suppress irrelevant mental noise, so you can manage multiple streams of information with fewer errors.

4. Physical Exercise with a Cognitive Twist

Aerobic activity fuels the brain and helps support memory and executive function. Here are some tips in this regard:

• Try brisk walking, cycling, or running for 30 minutes, several times per week (while also processing auditory and visual stimuli).

• Combine exercise with a cognitive challenge, like listening to an audiobook while running.

5. Technology-Enhanced Training

Modern tools make divided attention training more engaging. You can try:

• VR environments. Immersive settings help reduce learning anxiety and mimic real-world multitasking.

• Digital apps. Many platforms now combine visual and auditory tasks into short sessions you can do daily.

• Group training. When you practice with small groups (3-5 people), you’ll feel more motivated.

6. Short, Structured Daily Practice

Consistency matters more than marathon training sessions. Just 15 minutes a day can produce measurable improvements. Here’s what you can try:

• 5 minutes filtering distractions (selective attention)

• 5 minutes quick task switching (alternating attention)

• 5 minutes divided attention drills (two tasks at once)

• 5 minutes of Mendi neurofeedback.

Track progress with small wins – fewer mistakes, faster responses, or longer focus periods.

7. Real-Life Practice

Exercises are most effective when applied to real situations. For example:

• Take notes while listening to a lecture or podcast

• Cook multiple dishes with timers and recipe steps

• Read while background music plays, then check comprehension (handling competing auditory and visual stimuli).

Furthermore, it’s recommended to actively plan how you’ll manage distractions or split tasks.

8. Measurement and Progress Tracking

Progress is easier to maintain when you measure it. Here’s what you can try:

• Objective metrics. Track reaction times, error rates, and how much your performance drops when you combine tasks vs when you do them separately.

• Self-reports. Use questionnaires like the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ) or Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). These will help you notice changes in everyday performance and awareness.

• Digital tools. Various apps offer dashboards when you can chart progress, while simple timers and personal logs can help you track multitasking success in daily routines (e.g., remembering podcast details while cooking).

• Review schedule. Reassess every two weeks with formal drills and monthly with self-reflection journals. Note both objective gains and subjective ease in real-life multitasking.

Benefits of Enhanced Divided Attention

Improving divided attention is about becoming sharper, faster, and more adaptable in real situations. Here’s what research shows you can expect:

1. Greater Cognitive Flexibility

Think of cognitive flexibility as the ability that helps you switch from solving a tough problem at work to answering a phone call from a friend. You basically adapt to different mental demands without losing your train of thought.

In this regard, the training methods mentioned above can boost flexibility, leading to quicker problem-solving and more creative solutions.

For students, this means better reasoning skills when processing information from multiple sources. For professionals, it means adapting smoothly when projects or priorities shift.

2. Stronger Transfer to Other Skills

The gains don’t stay locked in multitasking. They spill over into everyday abilities.

For example, you may experience improvements in your ability to use your working memory. This means that you’ll be able to retain more details while switching between conversations or projects.

You can also find it easier to filter distractions, stay organized, and recover focus when your attention gets pulled away.

3. Long-Lasting Improvements

The best part about training your divided attention is that the changes are long-lasting. Studies show that people who completed structured training kept much of their progress six months later.

You’ll think faster, adapt better, and make fewer mistakes. Not just today, but months or even years down the line (as long as you keep practicing, of course!).

Can You Measure Divided Attention?

Don’t know if your divided attention performs at its best? You can measure it! However, keep in mind that this is usually easier said than done, especially compared to assessing single-task performance.

Unlike IQ, there’s no single “attention score.” Your performance varies depending on task complexity, whether it’s visual + auditory or two visual tasks. It is influenced even by the strategies you use mid-test. Therefore, test results don’t always reflect your ability to multitask in real-life situations.

Traditional Assessments

Psychologists typically measure divided attention through the dual task paradigm. This method measures how you perform while solving two tasks at the same time.

Other tools, like the Attention Performance Test (APT) or Continuous Performance Test (CPT), can help specialists track errors, reaction times, and lapses in focus.

These are useful, but they don’t always capture how your attention works in daily life, like juggling phone calls and emails during a busy workday.

Neurofeedback and Modern Tools

This is where neurofeedback offers new possibilities:

• EEG systems measure brainwaves and, based on the collected data, can help train patterns linked to focus and attention (e.g., increasing beta waves, reducing theta). However, while incredibly helpful, EEG neurofeedback sessions with a targeted approach (meaning performed at a clinic) are often complex and expensive.

• fNIRS systems like Mendi, by contrast, monitor blood flow in the prefrontal cortex: the brain’s control center for attention and other cognitive skills. With real-time feedback through a simple app, you can practice strengthening the very brain networks that support divided attention. It’s portable, accessible, and designed for everyday use, making it easier to track progress from the comfort of your home.

While traditional tests show where you stand, tools like Mendi make it possible to train and monitor attention in real time, bridging the gap between science and daily life.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, divided attention is the skill that helps us manage life’s constant demands, from work projects to everyday conversations. While our brains have natural limits, research shows that this ability can be improved through structured training, mindfulness, exercise, and consistent practice.

The benefits are clear: greater mental flexibility, stronger memory and focus, and improvements that last well beyond training. And with modern tools like Mendi, it’s easier than ever to track progress and strengthen the brain systems that support attention! Ready to start your journey? Get your Mendi today!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is divided attention?

Divided attention is the ability to process and coordinate multiple stimuli and tasks simultaneously.

How does age affect divided attention?

Divided attention declines with age, especially as tasks become more complex. Older adults often have difficulties with working memory and processing speed, but training, especially when paired with physical exercise, can still improve attention performance and not only.

What role does the prefrontal cortex play in divided attention?

The prefrontal cortex plays a crucial role in coordinating attention resources. It acts as the brain’s “central executive,” being responsible for all cognitive functions.

Can mindfulness practices improve divided attention?

Yes, mindfulness meditation can help improve divided attention, leading to better multitasking control. Even 10-15 minutes of daily practice over several weeks can improve performance and flexibility.

What are some practical exercises to enhance divided attention?

To enhance divided attention, try task-switching drills, dual-task paradigm exercises (managing household chores while processing other tasks or information), mindfulness sessions, and neurofeedback training.

What is an example of divided attention?

Examples of divided attention include driving while holding a conversation, taking notes during a lecture, watching TV while doing household chores, or managing emails while on a video call.

What does it mean to divide your attention?

To divide your attention means distributing limited cognitive resources across multiple tasks at once. This often reduces efficiency but allows you to handle multiple tasks in parallel.

What are the 4 types of attention?

The four main types of attention are sustained attention (maintaining focus on one task for a long period), selective or focused attention (filtering distractions to focus on one input, including selective visual attention and auditory selective attention), divided attention (managing more than one task at once), and alternating attention (shifting focus between different tasks or mental sets).