Is It Possible to Improve My Attention Span?
Jake Newby
| 4 min read
Digital devices and social media have conditioned our brains to expect quick, short bursts of information and entertainment.
This constant stream of instant gratification and information overload has taken a toll on our attention spans, which have shrunk considerably during the past few decades, according to research.
How has technology affected our attention span?
Terms like “brain rot” and “doomscrolling” have elbowed their way into our vernaculars to describe the unhealthy relationship we have with our devices and our penchant for mindless scrolling.
A 2024 study found prolonged consumption of short video content engaged the lower-order cortical brain regions of study participants – the regions associated with emotional processing – while suppressing activity in higher-order areas of the brain responsible for self-control and attention.
Additionally, during a discussion on the American Psychological Association’s Speaking of Psychology podcast, a psychologist and University of California Irvine professor shared results from a multi-decade research project on the human attention span. In 2004, researchers found the average attention span on any screen to be about 2.5 minutes.
By 2012, that figure dipped to 75 seconds. During the past five years, researchers have clocked an average of 47 seconds of time spent per screen before an individual turns their attention to another one. But digital distractions may not be solely to blame for your diminished attention span.
Other factors that affect concentration
These factors can also contribute to a lack of concentration:
- Underlying health issues: Anxiety, depression and sleep disorders like sleep apnea can all hinder a person’s ability to focus. Research has also linked hearing and vision loss with cognitive impairment.
- Stress: Emotional stress weakens the ability of the brain's prefrontal cortex to carry out its many functions, per Harvard Health, which include attention and working memory.
- Medication side effects: Some drugs – such as treatments for incontinence, depression or allergies – can slow processing speed and inhibit our ability to think clearly, according to Harvard Health.
- Environmental factors: Lack of exercise, poor sleep and elevated stress levels contribute to poor focus and concentration.
- Excessive alcohol consumption: Too much alcohol impairs thinking and causes interrupted sleep. This cycle leads to a lack of focus during the day.
If you are unhappy with a noticeably shorter attention span – one that makes it harder to concentrate on the book you’re reading or the task you’re doing at work, for instance – you can work to improve it. While there is no clinical cure or slam-dunk solution to a shortened attention span, you can take action to improve your focus.
How to improve focus: 5 tips to enhance your concentration
Eliminate distractions: It’s difficult to scale back your screen time if your phone is always in arm’s reach. To break old habits, you have to create new ones. Adjust the settings on your phone to block notifications during certain hours and leave it at home when you go out for a 20-minute walk or when you grab a coffee at work. You can also delete social media apps from your phone, use a traditional alarm clock to limit excessive screen time first thing in the morning and even consider buying a time lock box to place your phone in for a certain amount of time.
Eliminating distractions in your home office can involve turning off your TV and putting your remote out of reach (or giving it to someone else to hide), as well as setting up website blockers.
Take periodic breaks: Try blocking off a chunk of time on your calendar to take 30 to 60 minutes off from your phone or other smart device. At work, take a couple of 10-minute breaks throughout the day to stretch, walk or take some deep breaths. Everyone’s attention wanes after a certain period, so experiment with timeframe that best resets your focus.
Engage your brain: Rewiring your brain to become more disciplined can help you actively pay attention to the task in front of you. Accomplish this by practicing activities that require a lot of attention. This can include new skills such painting, drawing, learning to play an instrument and learning a new language. It can also include games that boost cognitive training, like crosswords, Sudoku and jigsaw puzzles.
Practice mindfulness meditation: Mindfulness revolves around focusing your attention on the moment. One small study suggested brief meditation improves attention even for those who don’t meditate often. Try meditating and focused breathing a few times a week to strengthen concentration.
Stay social: Studies have connected strong social networking and taking part in social activities as a way to reduce the risk of cognitive decline in older adults, but everyone can benefit from being around people more often. Loneliness is associated with increased risk of dementia, anxiety, depression and respiratory illness, so try staying socially engaged with family and friends to keep your mind sharp. If nothing else, socializing helps you spend less time glued to your phone.
In addition to these tips, it’s important to prioritize a healthy lifestyle, which involves daily exercise, a healthy diet and good sleep hygiene.
Continue reading:
- How to Get Back into Reading
- How I Combat Travel-related Anxiety
- The Importance of Tummy Time for Babies
Photo credit: Getty Images
