Focus in a World of Distraction

Personal Observation

• Noticed discomfort due to excessive screen time
• Day starts and ends with screens (phone, iPad, computer)
• Constant notifications from devices (phone, smartwatches)
• Most time-wasting device: phone

Experiment: Reducing Phone Usage

• Limited phone use to 30 minutes/day for a month
• Time allocated for all possible needs (calls, maps, music, etc.)
• Observations after a week:
  • Attention span grew
  • More spontaneous ideas
  • More future planning thoughts

Research on Focus and Attention

• Dedicated self-study: 25,000 words of research notes
• Focus while working on computers:
  • Typically 40 seconds on one task before switching
  • Drops to 35 seconds with distractions like Slack
• Root cause of distraction: overstimulated brains craving novelty
  • Novelty bias: brain rewards new information with dopamine
  • Similar dopamine hits from social media as from food or sex

Lowering Stimulation: Inducing Boredom

• Asked readers for boring activities; tried for an hour/day for a month
• Activities included:
  • Reading iTunes T&Cs
  • Waiting on hold with Air Canada
  • Counting zeros in the first 10,000 digits of pi
  • Watching a clock tick
• Similar effects to reduced phone usage:
  • Increased attention span
  • More spontaneous ideas and plans

Benefits of Mind Wandering

• Transition to lower stimulation → mind wanders more