Donald Broadbent’s (1958) pioneering work stands as a cornerstone of cognitive psychology, marking a profound shift from viewing the human mind as a passive receiver of information to understanding it as an active processor. His filter theory of attention proposed that the mind functions much like an information filter, selecting certain inputs for conscious processing while excluding others, allowing us to focus on what truly matters amidst the constant flood of sensory data. This insight not only transformed psychology’s understanding of perception and attention but also offered a framework for managing the demands of modern life. By recognising that attention is limited, Broadbent’s theory reminds us of the value of mindful focus, rest, and intentional living in an age of distraction. On a societal level, it underscores the importance of designing environments, educational, occupational, and digital, that respect human cognitive limits, promoting both individual wellbeing and collective mental health. Given the inherent limitations of human attention, it becomes necessary for individuals to make wise attentional choices. What inputs will we choose to attend to? Our attentional choices will significantly influence our life management. Solomon, in the Biblical book of Proverbs, encourages idle folk to consider the ant. He writes, “Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, and your need like an armed man” (Proverbs 6:6-11).