What’s a top notch skill that will help you secure any job in any environment? Hint: if you can read through this whole blog post without switching tabs, you’re well on your way.

According to a recent New York Times article, people’s ability to concentrate has dropped dramatically in the last two decades like the Y2K ball on New Year’s.

In 2004, people managed an average of 2.5 minutes before switching tasks on a work computer.

In 2012, it dropped to 75 seconds.

Now, it’s 47 seconds.

And it’s still dropping.

While the lack of concentration, likely due to the introduction and indoctrination of smart phone usage, is concerning, the solution is less obvious than you’d think.

“Just get off the phone” is the generic response.

“Delete your social media” is a bit more pointed.

“Kids these days are so lazy/entitled/cocky/addicted” is blaming.

Some of the researchers in the article suggested taking tech breaks in-between work stretches to scroll on social media for 5 minutes. However, as most people work on the computer, often tech breaks aren’t really breaks at all.

While I applaud the research done by Dr. Mark, Dr. Rosen, and Dr. Wolf, I think some nuance is lost when we consider our built social environment is almost entirely tech-based, particularly for Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Try telling a teenager to get off of TikTok when commenting on shared videos is the primary way they talk with their friends. It’s like telling them to go live in a cabin in the wilderness.

Improving concentration can’t just be a personal choice – it requires a structural change.

Phone- and computer-based technology are designed with your attention in mind.

Two examples from the BBC:

1. The pull-down refresh act as ‘intermittent reinforcements’ that perks our brain’s interest for unpredictable rewards. For instance, if you pull to refresh, you might see a funnier post than you’ve seen before, or style advice that you desperately need, or it doesn’t even matter – your brain just wants something new and exciting. The same effect comes from switching tabs.
2. Many computer applications hack our dopamine, triggering it to nudge us into repeating behaviours that can eventually cause addiction. Normally dopamine is evolutionarily used to encourage us to eat and mate and generally survive. However, it can be sparked in other ways, such as a ‘like’ button. (We really are simple creatures.)

There are some institutions, such as the Center for Humane Technology led by ex-Silicon Valley-ers, that are promoting ways to make tech less addictive. However, its implementation across society will require a lot of muscle and cultural re-thinking.

There’s hope though – if we could fantastically change how our society communicates and interacts and does business in 20 years, with the right push-points (ie capital) it could happen again.

But what can we do now, individually to support our own concentration?

While ‘tech breaks’ are a great place to start, it might be useful to begin implementing non-tech breaks in your work day (if possible!). That may be talking to a co-worker while grabbing a coffee, doodling on a notepad, or even staring out the window for a few minutes and letting your mind wander.

Boredom is underrated.

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