Remember a while ago when I begged you all to stop multitasking in order to live a better life (and possibly make my square job a little easier)? Tonight's topic is related because a majority of people lack focus. Not too long ago I read another of Arnold Schwarzenegger's newsletters, and now maybe I'm thinking this lack of focus isn't entirely a choice.
You really, really don't have to read this. It's long and academic and kind of dry, but the reason I'm putting that link there is because that's where he gets his numbers. 20 years ago, he says, our attention span lasted approximately 2.5 minutes, and over time it's continued dropping. Now it's at a depressing 47 seconds (and others say it's a mere 8!). Not even a full fucking minute. The study says that technology is to blame, specifically staring at phone and computer screens and spending time on social media.
Once again, I get it. We're all busy. We've got stuff to do. But it is my belief that our dropping attention spans are ruining the quality of our lives. Schwarzenegger agrees: ". . . the less you focus, the more likely you are to experience stress and anxiety and have a harder time being present and feeling happy."
How often have you gone online to find more information about something? And then you see something else, and now you want to learn more about that? And so on and so forth? People call it "going down the rabbit hole." Think about every time you've ever done that. How have you felt afterward? How much info did you actually retain? Did you even get an answer to your first question?
No wonder we're having difficulty being present. There are too many presents, and we want a piece of them all, and we're not exercising the control needed to focus. I wonder what our attention spans will be like in 20 years. If the current trend continues, we might not have an attention span. In one ear, out the other. Or, more apropos of the topic, in one eye and out the other.
I've got a fairly good attention span. Another of Schwarzenegger's newsletters suggests that those who read have a better time of it, and I not only read a lot, I spend a lot of time in nature reading (weather permitting, of course). So what can you do to improve your ability to focus? He's got some suggestions. I'm just going to copy and paste them below. Good luck in applying these to your life.
Block off 2 to 3 times per day when you don’t use your phone. On some level, we’ve all become addicted. You must train your brain to go without your phone to break the cycle, just as you must train your muscles to become stronger.
Get outside and walk for 20 minutes. You can listen to music or call a friend, but try to stay off the screen or social media. Being outside and moving can help your brain reset and focus.
Do something quiet and mundane that requires some level of focus. It can be a crossword puzzle, the dishes, or laundry.
Read a book for 30 minutes. You’re not just training your brain to stay off your phone; you’re training to maintain focus for a longer time on a singular task.
Out of curiosity, does anyone remember this show? Do you remember the name? There are no prizes for this piece of trivia, but you'll have my undying respect if you do know.
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