Internet Shortening Your Attention Span? – This Is What’s Happening And How To Fix

The short answer is Yes. The more you use the internet the shorter your attention span. A much cited study says, “…our attention spans have shrunk from 12 seconds to 8 seconds since 2000”. This article will explain to you the reason the internet shortens your attention span and why this is not good for you. Moreover, I’ll look at what are the signs that your attention span is shrinking and what you can do to increase your attention span.

Is the Internet the Reason Our Attention Span is Shortening?

The answer to this question is a qualified yes. The internet is having a profound influence on our lives to include affecting our attention span. For instance, according to Statista  as of “… 2020, the average daily social media usage of internet users worldwide amounted to 145 minutes per day …”  Hence it is true that with our increased use of the internet as well as our use of electronic gadgets and software, our attention span is negatively affected. To list, below are the major reasons our attention span is shortened in the world today.

• Constant Distractions. First, our phones and computers are constantly getting alerts from social networks, e-mail, and built-in news apps. For example, according to one study, for every distraction it takes us 25 minutes to return fully back to the original work task. 
• Too Much Information. Also with the amount of “information” available on the internet, our attention span is now only averaging a few seconds. One reason for this is because just to keep up we have to skim through countless information sources across the multitude of internet platforms. To illustrate, just a couple of decades ago most people had limited access to information to make decisions about their daily lives. For instance, information came from one newspaper, a couple of television stations, and a small circle of friends. 
• Shorter News Cycles. Additionally, our collective attention is shortening when it comes to trending topics and news cycles. For example, in one study, “they measured collective attention on Twitter by looking at how long individual hashtags stayed in the list of 50 most popular hashtags. In 2013, they remained, on average, for 17.5 hours. In 2016, that was reduced to 11.9 hours.”

he Internet and Our Shrinking Attention Span: Is It a Problem? 

There are some differences of opinion, but it is clear that a shorter attention span is important to learning. For instance, according to Encyclopedia, an adequate attention span enables “… children to organize and consolidate important features of the subjects being studied.”  Additionally, “attention span problems are frequently reported in children with learning disabilities, such as those diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)”. Note, there are others that say “… an “average attention span is pretty meaningless. It’s very much task-dependent. How much attention we apply to a task will vary depending on what the task demand is” (see BBC’s Busting the attention span myth).

What Are the Signs of a Short Attention Span?

Below is a list from WebMD on the signs to look for in a short attention span.

• Making careless mistakes 
• Trouble reading long texts 
• Seeming not to listen 
• Leaving tasks partially done 
• Hard time managing time or keeping materials organized 
• Forgetting activities or appointments

What Can We Do To Increase Our Attention?

If you desire to enhance your concentration, below are some tips:

• Reduce distractions
• Read a lot
• Be physically engaged
• Solve puzzles and quizzes
• Train your memory
• Improve your sleep
• Spend time in nature
• Meditate
• Make frequent breaks
• Listen to music
• Vary your diet

Also, see  the HeadSpace for more details on how to increase your attention span.

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For more information from Unvarnished Facts, see posts on information technology and learning.