"Although pundits decry our lack of attention, blaming recent technological changes like phones, the truth is, maintaining focused attention has never been easy. Distraction, is, after all, highly functional. We have evolved to be alert to danger; only in specific protected environments were humans at leisure to focus completely on a single task. We alert to any change in our environment. Ever wonder why TV ads are louder than the shows? Or why ads now frequently include phone alerts? It's because it makes us look."
"Seventy-percent of people say they have a problem paying attention. The average attention span is eight seconds. After reading this sentence, it's likely that you're going to start thinking about something else, glance at the sidebar, or wonder what the dog is doing in the kitchen. And those ads in the background? They are designed to pull your mind away from focused reading."
Attention requires effort and is not the brain's default state. Distraction is functional because humans evolved to detect novelty and environmental change. Seventy percent of people report problems paying attention, and the average attention span is eight seconds. External stimuli such as ads, background music, and phone alerts are designed to capture attention and pull focus away from tasks. Stress, fatigue, and anxiety increase susceptibility to distraction through intrusive thoughts. True multitasking does not exist; attention shifts rapidly between tasks rather than simultaneous processing. To preserve focus, prioritize demanding tasks when attention is freshest, minimize distractions, and take regular breaks to maintain attention over time.
Read at Psychology Today
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