The Science of Rescuing Your Attention Span | Gloria Mark

The podcast explores the diminishing attention span in the digital age, examining its causes and potential solutions. Dr. Gloria Mark, Chancellor's Professor of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine, shares her research indicating a significant decrease in average attention spans since the early 2000s, attributing this decline to factors like social media and the design of the internet. Task-switching contributes to errors, increased stress, and time inefficiency. The discussion covers myths about attention, including the notion that constant focus is necessary and that mindless activities have no value. Strategies to improve focus involve self-awareness, designing days around attentional resources, practicing forethought, and setting realistic goals.