Attention fluctuates naturally because the human brain is constantly scanning the environment for new information, potential threats, opportunities for social contact, and more.41 Even when we’re intently working on something, part of our attention is tracking our surroundings, ready to interrupt us if any distractions or threats happen to pop up.42 Our attention is less like a laser beam (which can be pointed at any single specific point we desire) and more like a rotating lighthouse lantern, temporarily bathing individual rocks in light as it continues to spin across its surroundings.
