The Conversation

How to focus


Listen Later

Have you ever been so absorbed in an activity that you lost track of time? Experiencing moments of intense focus is something most of us can relate to; but did you know you can train for it? Kim Chakanetsa discusses tips and best practice with two women whose careers demand their absolute concentration.

Lorraine Huber is a Freeride World Champion and a mental strength coach. Freeriding is a discipline that involves skiing off-piste and performing acrobatic jumps on natural terrains. For Lorraine, being able to shut-out the world around her and perform at her best is a matter of life or death.

Kalena Bovell is the assistant conductor of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and the only African-American/Hispanic orchestra conductor in the United States. When she is on the podium, she needs to be able to focus for hours, while working with a big group of musicians in front of a public. To excel in her job, she had to learn to master the art of intense focus.

Produced by Alice Gioia.

MUSIC DETAILS: Extract from Kalena Bovell’s international debut with Chineke! Orchestra. The performance was recorded at Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall in London, UK.

IMAGE DETAILS

L: Lorraine Huber
R: Kalena Bovell [credit Cabrillo Festival]

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The ConversationBy BBC World Service

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

69 ratings


More shows like The Conversation

View all
In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,397 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,839 Listeners

Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,781 Listeners

Business Daily by BBC World Service

Business Daily

538 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,802 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,058 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,916 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,077 Listeners

Learning English Stories by BBC Radio

Learning English Stories

393 Listeners

Learning English Vocabulary by BBC Radio

Learning English Vocabulary

504 Listeners

Learning English Grammar by BBC Radio

Learning English Grammar

310 Listeners

Learning English from the News by BBC Radio

Learning English from the News

251 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

735 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

2,965 Listeners

Simple English News Daily by SEND7

Simple English News Daily

31 Listeners

The British English Podcast by Charlie Baxter

The British English Podcast

64 Listeners

Thinking in English by Thomas Wilkinson

Thinking in English

96 Listeners

Limelight by BBC Radio 4

Limelight

257 Listeners

British English Listening Practice - English Go! Podcast by Chris

British English Listening Practice - English Go! Podcast

21 Listeners

English in a Minute by BBC Radio

English in a Minute

14 Listeners

What in the World by BBC World Service

What in the World

16 Listeners

Learning English For Work by BBC News

Learning English For Work

36 Listeners

Learning Easy English by BBC

Learning Easy English

98 Listeners