A more advanced method for concentrating was to build elaborate mental structures in the course of reading and thinking. Nuns, monks, preachers and the people they educated were always encouraged to visualise the material they were processing…. I teach medieval cognitive techniques to college freshmen, and this last one is by far their favourite. Constructing complex mental apparatuses gives them a way to organise – and, in the process, analyse – material they need to learn for other classes. The process also keeps their minds occupied with something that feels palpable and riveting. Concentration and critical thinking, in this mode, feel less like a slog and more like a game.

Read more:

Kreiner, J. (2019, April 24). How to reduce digital distractions: Advice from medieval monks. Aeon. https://aeon.co/ideas/how-to-reduce-digital-distractions-advice-from-medieval-monks