Erin Yarwood is a journalism senior and opinion columnist for Mustang News. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang Media Group.
A few weeks ago, my friends and I sat down to watch a movie. It was on my letterbox watchlist, highly recommended by a friend who had already seen it and our sole plan for the night.
Thirty minutes into the movie, we recognized that not one of us was paying attention. Whether it was a fidget toy, TikTok or group chat, something was distracting each of us.
Gen Z’s inability to pay attention is becoming more and more apparent. Professors poke jokes at us using multiple screens at once and parents insist on making phone piles at dinner. While we all may joke about our short attention spans, this isn’t just a silly quirk. It’s a serious cultural issue that’s affecting how we socialize.
Gloria Mark, an attention researcher at the University of California, Irvine, highlights how attention spans have plummeted from two and a half minutes in 2003 to just 47 seconds in recent years. Multi-tasking all the time seems to be the norm these days.
Why does this matter? Because when our attention spans shorten, so does our ability to care.
Constant distraction also leads to productivity consequences like academic struggle, procrastination and burnout. By cracking a joke that you can’t read more than three sentences before daydreaming, we are only normalizing it. Being able to listen to your friend tell you about your day without going on your phone should be a minimum.
Of course, there’s a technological aspect that is causing this problem. Social media and digital platforms are designed to capture and fragment attention. Algorithms are built to keep us there, and when videos are longer, we tend to click away.
Instead, these platforms are engineered to keep us scrolling indefinitely. The rises of TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts are examples of content getting shorter and punchier to meet diminishing attention spans. This is not accidental; it’s to make a profit.
In addition to social media affecting our attention spans, news articles are shorter, TV screens are popping up everywhere (cars, the gym, Uber rides, public transit, etc.) and even songs are being made with just a punchy hook, and little substance, in mind. In addition to that, the ability to make a few clicks on a mobile device and find information we want can distract us from another task at hand.
Sure, not being able to focus on watching a movie made me notice my lack of attention span, but what really made me want to change it was that I was worried I wasn’t listening to my friends. Not being present enough to care is what forced me to take action.
Yes, it sucks that everything around you is designed to divert your attention away from something else, often, at the expense of your focus, relationships and peace of mind. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do about it.
Simple changes like turning off phone notifications and putting down devices while talking to someone can help restore focus and strengthen your relationships. Practicing good listening skills, meditating or working out without a phone can also train the brain to stay present.
Setting a “one screen at a time” rule, especially while studying or doing work, also reduces the temptation to multitask. Finally, reading once a day or journaling can rebuild your brain’s ability to sustain attention.
Since trying to integrate these practices into my day-to-day, I have noticed a change in my relationships and other aspects of my life. I remember what my friends’ plans during the week are better, I listen better and I am more engaged during my classes.
These changes might seem small, but they add up. Collectively, they can help reverse the trend of shrinking focus and improve your mental well being, learning and relationships. Don’t let these distractions ruin your day and alter your interactions. Resist them.
