Is the ping of a text stealing our focus or do we just lack willpower? And could mindless scrolling ever be good for our brains? Elle Hunt unpacks some surprising truths<\/p>\n
How does it feel inside your head? Turn your attention inwards. Maybe you\u2019re daydreaming, allowing your mind to wander. Or maybe it feels sharp and alert. Maybe your thoughts are forging freely ahead, a sign that you have achieved the fabled state of \u201cflow\u201d. More likely, however, your brain feels like a browser with too many tabs open. From the widespread reports of a post-pandemic \u201cbrain fog\u201d and the books on \u201cdeep work\u201d and \u201cstolen focus\u201d topping bestseller lists, to the soaring diagnoses of ADHD in adults and children, it seems we are increasingly concerned by our ability to pay attention.<\/p>\n
Early last year, the Centre for Attention Studies<\/a> at King\u2019s College London found that 49% of 2,000 adults surveyed felt their attention span was shorter than it used to be. Almost as many (47%) agreed that \u201c\u2018deep thinking\u2019 has become a thing of the past\u201d. These are generalisations and impossible to quantify \u2013 we have no consistent measure of attention or deep thinking, let alone of contrasting those through history with today\u2019s. But the response proves that we at least perceive there\u2019s a problem.<\/p>\n
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Is the ping of a text stealing our focus or do we just lack willpower? And could mindless scrolling ever be good for our brains? Elle Hunt unpacks some surprising truthsHow does it feel inside your head? Turn your attention inwards. Maybe you\u2019re daydreaming, allowing your mind to wander. Or maybe it feels sharp and alert. Maybe your thoughts are forging freely ahead, a sign that you have achieved the fabled state of \u201cflow\u201d. More likely, however, your brain feels like a browser with too many tabs open. From the widespread reports of a post-pandemic \u201cbrain fog\u201d and the books on \u201cdeep work\u201d and \u201cstolen focus\u201d topping bestseller lists, to the soaring diagnoses of ADHD in adults and children, it seems we are increasingly concerned by our ability to pay attention.