Soft Fascination

I’ll admit, my ability to pay attention and focus is the bane of my existence.  When I started studying, I struggled to actually sit down and make sense of things. I figured out a way of breaking my time up to make study sessions more palatable, and that helped, but then I heard about something known as soft fascination. It’s not a new thing - but it was new to me! Soft fascination is an element of something called Attention Restoration Theory which was developed in the 80s.

Whaever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Essentially, the idea is that spending time in nature, doing things like tending gardens, or looking at natural scenes have a restorative effect on our ability to pay attention. 

So, I started spending more time outside, and absorbing my surroundings. The wonderful thing about this is that you don’t have to be terribly active, it costs nothing, and it’s pretty much accessible to everyone. I found that not only can I focus more, I’m also more content and more curious. 

Here’s some ways that I’ve already incorporated the idea of soft fascination into my life:

Walks

I suggest walking a lot, because it’s simple, free, and you can always go at your own pace. Not everyone has a pain free body, so we work with what we can! Go for a little walk in some greenery. Living in inner city areas where there are no parks can pose a problem, but spending time near gardens works well, too. 

Spend time near gardens, parks and patches of greenery

As mentioned above, not everyone has immediate access to areas in which they could go on bushwalks. I find small patches of greenery in little tucked in parks - ideally a bench to sit on, but as long as the ground permits, I just sit on the ground. 

Set the tone

When I go out for my walks, I try to pick something soft to listen to. Sometimes classical music is nice, but generally I look for lo-fi music with little to no words. Obviously we do have to be conscious of our surroundings, so while I zone out, I am aware of who is around me, and where I’m walking.

Casting your attention

I like to look at leaves, especially the shapes! I like to find leaves on the ground with lovely colours, or that look like they’ve been cut with a cookie cutter. It’s really simple things like this that bring me joy. Often in autumn, I collect pictures of the bright colours and gradients. Other things that hold my attention are when certain flowers bloom. I’m no gardener, but I enjoy seeing other people nurture theirs and seeing the tulips and daffodils in spring, and the sunflowers growing tall in summer. 

There are different ways you can incorporate soft fascination into your life, and really, as long as you’re in nature, there’s no wrong way. 

Remember: This shouldn’t feel like a task or chore, you should enjoy yourself, whether you’re zoning out while watching a caterpillar make its way down some milkweed, simply staring outside at a birdfeeder, or lounging under a tree in the park. 

If you’re interested in reading more about Attention Restoration Theory, this is a link to the book “The experience of nature : a psychological perspective” by Rachel and Steven Kaplan..