Attention & Distraction
Articles on how phones, notifications and constant switching affect focus. Some of the best-known claims here did not survive replication, so we separate what has been measured from what has only been repeated. Start with the guide, or browse the shorter pieces below.
Articles in this topic
Why Am I So Bored? The Hidden System Behind Modern Boredom
Boredom isn't a shortage of things to do. It's the gap between your attention and your world - and the most common response to it, switching to something else, is the thing that widens the gap.
Why Your Attention Span Feels Broken
The most famous statistic about attention spans has no traceable source, and the most cited research measures switching behaviour rather than capacity. What that changes about the problem.
The Focus Apps That Actually Block Distraction
The useful question is whether a tool removes the choice in the weak moment or only reminds you to choose better. For many people, the first step is a free built-in limiter they already own.
Why you sit down to work and lose 40 minutes without noticing
You didn't lose the time because you're undisciplined or don't care. You lost it because you switched - from the task to the tab, from the tab to the next tab, from there to a thought, and eventually back.
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