Ask Slashdot: Dealing With Electronics-Induced Inattentiveness?

An anonymous reader writes: I am a graduate student in his twenties who used to be able to read dozens and dozens of lengthy books in his childhood. Over the years, I have noticed that my attention span and ability to concentrate has decreased noticeably, seemingly in synchronization with society's increased connectedness with the Internet and constant stimulation from computers and mobile devices alike. I have noticed that myself and others seem to have a difficult time really sitting down to read anything or focus on anything relatively boring for even more than ten seconds (the "TL;DR Generation," as I sometimes call it).

I see it when socializing with others or even during a professor's lecture. I have tried leaving my mobile phone at home and limiting myself to fewer browser tabs in an effort to regain concentration that I believe has been lost in recent years. Nonetheless, this is an issue that has begun to adversely affect my academic studies and may only get worse in time. What advice do fellow Slashdot users have with regard to reclaiming what has been lost? Should such behaviors simply be accepted as a sign of the times?

Comments

Don't be passive, DO something

[TWX]

Find something to actively do. Have no more broadcasted stimulation than the radio. By doing something you'll focus your attention.

I tend to work on machinery or cars in my workshop. Still can be very technical when building an engine from a bare block with mains, but needs focus.

Re:Don't be passive, DO something

[leftover]

This, in spades! The passive intake of information has, over the last few decades, grown from an occasional relaxation activity to a full-time pattern. Watching televised entertainment, watching training videos and sitting in long useless meetings all suppress mental activity. Then come the interruptions from phone calls, deleting 99% of emails, reading text messages and twits. Even if you are seriously trying to get into flow, too frequent interruptions leads to a kind of fatigue where you tend to just sit and wait for the next one to hit.
Since so much of "work", both white and blue collar, is now done on computers this pattern is extremely common. You can't get away from the computer and still do what you want to focus on. Simple solution: control your own micro-climate. Kill all the interrupting processes, put the office phone on DND, hang a sign that says "Working", plug in noise-cancelling headphone and play pleasant, non-distracting music or continuous nature sounds to drown office noise.
Some people will become annoyed that you don't instantly drop everything and respond to them. Too bad for them.
   

Change your state of mind

[Anonymous Coward]

How?

Tried and true: Yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, walks in nature, do what you love to do (and which gives you energy).
Even just a mindfulness class or book might help you in the right direction.

Don't become a leaf in the wind. Take charge.

Re:Do something interesting

[Andy Dodd]

Yes. A proper root cause analysis is important here.

Is electronics the actual root cause? I suspect not. Most of the issues the OP describes are pretty typical examples of stress/burnout.

Re:Pare down

[Fwipp]

Definitely this. Don't bring your laptop to class, bring a notebook and pen. Don't check your phone unless you've got an incoming call you need to take.

You might not be quite as efficient in note-taking (if you're in certain disciplines), but you'll be a lot more able to focus on what's going on, and you'll retain a lot more.

When studying, turn off your phone, or at least disable notifications.

TL;DR: When you're doing something, do one thing well.

A few recommendations

[Astrophysician]

I'm also a graduate student who has noticed a reduction in my (and my peers') ability to concentrate. It's a daily struggle to fight back against sources of distraction, but I've made some small changes that have helped me and might help you (and other Slashdotters) as well:
- I try to print really important papers and read them on paper. It is wasteful (recycle nonessential papers if desired), but pulp has no tabs;
- If I read analog media at my desk, I turn off my monitors to avoid notifications;
- I turn my phone on silent and flip it over on the desk for the same notification avoidance--works well with OS' that allow repeated callers to ring through while other notifications you designate keep the phone silent;
- I try to be a more "engaged" reader, taking notes on the paper (see my first point) to force my own engagement with the material. My mind wanders if I'm bored, which is entirely possible with academic material, so to stave off the boredom I'll do more to insert myself into the reading process.

Baby steps to change habits over time.

Re:Focus

[Anonymous Coward]

quit masturbating? That's a time honored tradition - not an electronic new age fad. Plenty of productive focused people still find time to masturbate. Not sure why this is on your list.

Pen + Paper won't run facebook

[netsavior]

Here is a revolutionary new way to sit in a lecture...

Sit in your seat, pull out a pen, pull out a pad of paper ("spiral notebook", "Legal Pad", whatever).

If the professor/lecturer says something important... write it down. If the professor is boring, doodle idly while you listen.


Leave the laptop, ipad, phone at home.

Re:Pare down

[dcollins]

You need to come visit Earth in the 21st Century sometime. At least among the college students I teach:

- College is the time to practice, exercise, and test out being an adult. Yes it's fundamentally a safer and lower-impact space than elsewhere. If there are some failures along they way then they can recover and be used as learning experiences.

- Students are not having educations paid for by mommy and daddy; mommy and daddy are probably dirt poor or not in the picture. Student's education are being paid for by financial aid from the state (I think 80%) at my school and egregious loans.

- Phones are part of their lives even if they're not physically on the at all times. Most of my students have jobs, children, other family members they take care of, and expect to be available in case of an issue or emergency. Yes, this makes it much harder for them.

Frankly I say this as an lecturer who fought bitterly against having any phones out in the classroom for several years (points off, attendance penalties, etc.) Within the last year I finally surrendered on the issue because it was simply unwinnable and caused escalations up to and including physical threats against myself. Having relaxed that requirement, I've found that counter-intuitively it seems like less of a problem; students do seem to keep them available in a mature fashion, and actually fewer of them are challenging the rule by fiddling continuously with them. So that's just anecdotal, but it's been my pleasantly surprising experience in all my classes this year.