There is no doubt that the technological advances of the past two decades have forever changed our daily lives, not only at work, but in the way we interact with one another, maintain connections, and move through the world.

According to Gloria Mark, PhD., attention span researcher and author of Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness, and Productivity, our ability to focus has been in decline for some time. In an episode of the APA podcast, Speaking of Psychology, Dr. Mark spoke of her research, which began in 2004, when she determined an average attention span of two and a half minutes. She found that our attention spans have diminished over the years. “Around 2012, we found it to be 75 seconds, and in the last six years, we found it to average about 47 seconds.” She added that other researchers have reported similar results.

Smartphones, laptops, and other devices enable our constant connection to email, 24-hour news feeds, and social media, providing ever-ready distractions and social connections. Increasingly sophisticated algorithms lure us in with compelling content. In the workplace, our desire to keep in touch and on top of multiple projects and responsibilities—that is, to multitask rather than concentrate on single tasks—results in a laundry list of negative consequences.........

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