It’s easy to lose focus. You’re deep into an important assignment when your phone pings with another notification. You’re cooking dinner and decide to check email “just in case.” Experts say our attention spans are shrinking, and many of us are having a harder time staying focused on one task at a time.

The good news is you can rebuild your attention span with a few practical changes. Here are three steps to help you reclaim your focus.

1. Do an attention audit.
   Daniel Smilek, a professor of cognitive science at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, says many people underestimate how much time they spend scrolling on their phones, according to The New York Times. Start paying attention to when your mind wanders from the task at hand, and keep a daily log of how often you get distracted.
2. Reduce distractions.
   You don’t have to quit social media completely, but you can make distractions less convenient. Try logging out of social media apps after each use. Turn off saved passwords so you have to manually log in next time. When you need a break, take a real one instead of reaching for your phone. Go for a short walk, stretch, or step outside — and resist the urge to scroll. It also helps to write down the tasks you need to complete, so your brain doesn’t keep circling back to remember what’s next.
3. Train for longer focus.
   After a few weeks, repeat your audit and see if your attention span is improving. If you still feel more distracted than you’d like, aim to give your brain more true downtime. Spend time in nature, or leave your headphones at home during a walk or run. Quiet moments without constant input can help your mind reset.

You don’t have to sit on a meditation cushion to strengthen focus, Smilek says, but mindfulness can help. Try concentrating fully on whatever you’re doing and choose a simple “anchor,” such as your breath or an object in the room. When your mind wanders, gently bring your attention back to that anchor as many times as needed.

Even a few minutes of attention training can feel difficult at first, Smilek notes, so start small. Build up gradually, and take it one day at a time.