Six takeaways:
- As a Professor of informatics at UC Irvine, Dr. Mark has closely studied behaviors of individuals as they pertain to use of their electronics. She has demonstrable proof that attention spans are declining.
- One repeated study used sophisticated computer logging techniques to measure attention spans and heart rate monitors and wearable devices to measure stress. Back in 2004, the study found that people averaged 150 seconds on any screen before switching to another screen. By 2012, it had declined to 75 seconds, and between 2016 and 2021, it diminished to 47 seconds. Studies by others have replicated these results within three seconds.
- Declining attention spans are tied to negative health effects. Studies have consistently shown that fast attention shifts lead to increased blood pressure and heart rate. Additionally, these shifts have been linked to higher anxiety and stress, lower productivity, and more errors and delays in finishing tasks due to the cognitive resources that are drained when reorienting to a task.
- One practical solution is for individuals to use digital technology in a more intentional way– taking proper breaks, being cognizant of the drift of attention, and planning to focus on important tasks during peak periods of focus.
- Ironically, new digital technology offers solutions such as AI programs that promote productivity and well-being. Some workplaces are also beginning to take steps to protect their workers from burnout, encouraging workers not to answer emails after hours and instituting daily quiet times where workers are discouraged from checking email.
- Dr. Mark notes that at the end of the day, our attention spans are in our own hands. “We still own our attention, and rather than simply submit to its further attenuation, we can take change into our own hands. Human beings created the internet, and it’s up to us, in the end, to decide how much we want to be absorbed by it.”
From Dr. Gloria Mark at The Wall Street Journal:
Note: At the time of this posting The Wall Street Journal requires a subscription to read this article.
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