"According to Gloria Mark, PhD., attention span researcher and author of Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness, and Productivity, our ability to focus has been in decline for some time. In an episode of the APA podcast, Speaking of Psychology, Dr. Mark spoke of her research, which began in 2004, when she determined an average attention span of two and a half minutes. She found that our attention spans have diminished over the years."
"Smartphones, laptops, and other devices enable our constant connection to email, 24-hour news feeds, and social media, providing ever-ready distractions and social connections. Increasingly sophisticated algorithms lure us in with compelling content. In the workplace, our desire to keep in touch and on top of multiple projects and responsibilities-that is, to multitask rather than concentrate on single tasks-results in a laundry list of negative consequences."
Technological advances over the past two decades have reshaped daily life and increased pervasive connectivity through smartphones, laptops, and online feeds. Measured average attention span declined from about two and a half minutes in 2004 to roughly 75 seconds in 2012 and about 47 seconds in recent years. Constant access to email, 24-hour news, social media, and algorithmically curated content fragments attention and promotes multitasking. Prolonged digital multitasking correlates with decreased working memory capacity and poorer executive function, undermining planning, problem-solving, and sustained concentration. Practical steps and interventions can restore balance and recover focus and productivity.
Read at Psychology Today
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