How Smartphones Sabotage Your Brain's Ability to Focus | WSJ 

I can't even focus on what you're saying. Not kidding.

*watches video* “Wow this is horrifying” *continues scrolling subscriptions feed*

"when everything is easy, we become stupid"

I can't even concentrate, am watching while reading the comments 🤔

It is quite interesting how phones have changed the way we behave so fast. I was robbed one year ago while taking the bus to go home and I spent three months without a phone. At the beginning it felt horrible, you become addicted to it without noticing, I felt empty, sad, weird. Didn't expect to feel that way. Eventually, I felt I didn't need it anymore. Started sleeping earlier, became more productive. However, when I saved enough for another phone, I bought one and the bad habits returned. These devices have become an essential part of our lives, more than we would like to admit. It is overwhelming that they are actually necessary for work and communication...

I keep looking at my phone even if i don't get any notification 😂

“When information is cheap, attention becomes expensive.” - J.G “When information is cheap, attention becomes expensive.” - J.G “When information is cheap, attention becomes expensive.” - J.G “When information is cheap, attention becomes expensive.” - J.G

I got rid of Facebook and never signed up for twitter messenger etc and it changed my life.

I'm most productive when my phone is on silent mode and there is no WI FI.

I try to reduce the need to get on my phone. Each time I unlock it, the small task turns into a super long app scrolling sessions. using a diary as a day planner and a watch to check time has helped me quite a bit. Looking for more ways to reduce the need to get on my device :D

This is one of the best videos on this subject. I keep my phone on silent most of the day - and I am much happier.

*Age of information or more accurately age of distraction*

I started watching this video and left before the first 2 minutes. Watched 6 more vids before I realized it

This video probably saved me a lot of cognitive energy, thank you so much!!

That "lake, reflection and drops" was such a beautiful example of our cognitive mind .

I dissabled 90% of my app notifications a little over a year ago following my 19 year old brother's suicide. It's greatly reduced stress to not have constant distractions. Additionally, most of the time my phone is set to silent and I have scheduled do not disturb times too. I've seen many people talk about being addicted to social media and this is a virtually instant cure. When there isn't a little red notification bubble on FB or IG etc. there's no impulse to tap it. I was surprised how quickly I stopped checking social media.

Tbh if your work or main task isn’t engaging enough, you can get distracted by the squiggles that swim across your eyeball.

The lake metaphor is a good way to explain the phenomenon.

I legit kept the video open, started browsing netflix and when i now caught myself, i wrote this comment. I couldnt even focus for half the video :(

I turn off notifications 9 to 5 using iPhone Screen Time feature. Has helped me enormously to focus.

i turn off ALL of my notifications, i only have msgs, email, and obv calls on. And even then, i always have my phone on silent mode. and if theres a person i text a lot, i mute them lol. it bothers me so much when my phone is constantly turning on to show me notifications.

Cool! But you know, I'm watching this with a smartphone :).

Thanks! Love that conversation

Love his metaphor on how attention is like a calm &reflective water surface! gets the point across so effectively.

This video needs more views. Very simple n effective explanation

there has been people that have been trying to get through to you that there is nothing SMART about any of it, yet people get sucked in.

Thanks for this! What's a good book that goes well with this video?

“When information is cheap, attention becomes expensive.” - J.G “When information is cheap, attention becomes expensive.” - J.G

The thing about these vids is that they appear to be v promising in helping u but after watching it you are back to square one cos they dont actually help u that much

the solution of this problem when you add a new app don't allow the notification

What can you do? Switch back to Nokia 3310, oh yes

... Over the past year, I have been keeping my phone on vibrate because just the sound of it going off is distracting and works my nerves. Over the past 2 weeks, I have been unable to send or receive text messages - The first week Was very frustrating... But by this second week I am really starting to enjoy the peace and tranquility I love not having to worry about responding or receiving anyones messages. - I am slowly working on being able to have complete thoughts to fruition, again, esp with my demanding family situation, which I am Constantly trying to distance myself from.

I love her videos!great presentation, great on camera personality.

Structure and routines the best suggestions

True. Whenever I watch phone I forget to do my chores that my mother just told me to do.

I do agree on this. I am preparing for Exams and for some or the another reason I get distracted by Mobile .... So I started using after my study's and keep mobile at home only....

I literally searched for this video while on my 417th break of the day. 😭

it's so interesting that there are many people out there who cannot control themself using the phone more meaningful

the Shallows by nicholas carr. this book has everything you need to know

This is told through the lens of people who can't stop working when they clock out, which they should rectify immediately if they are able to. This problem persists for our whole society though

I was reading the comments while the video played....totally get it

It started as a need then entertainment then time pass and now it's addictive 😓

I notice this. I went through a period of trying to limit internet use. I was able to read more. The internet creeps back in my life and it’s harder to read and feel relaxed.

Our attention spans seem to use the same hedonic neurochemistry as all motivation. Small attention span tasks provide a sense of micro-reward or micro-gratification for micro-accomplishment. All of our daily electronic notifications, micro-tasks and micro-gratifications mistrain our hedonic treadmill. There are many parallels to other addictions in this including the primary side effect is making real life seem too boring.

If you come up with a question you wonder about and have a question about it the. It doesn’t really give you ability to think it makes your brain lazy you need to have questions have wonder without having literally every single answer to those questions this is why people who don’t have smartphones aren’t distracted and can be creative in thought not having the answers to everything is ok

Cal Newport has been spot on regarding this topic. Phone + social media destroys productivity & quality of life to boot.🧬👎🤳

Thankfully the technology allow you and me to put a app in temporary disable mode. This feature available in XOS launcher. Otherwise we can choose digital well being "timer" for apps.

great topic

Your right but you we can't stop at list we can reduce same application which not good for our future like game & date social media for west time for things

Got distracted from work by this. Thank you.

"I'm like everyone else, a bit addicted to my emails" fam who

**watching on RU-vid** ***Goes back to check other notifs* argggh

I was just literally cursing myself for not being able to focus on Maths, then I went back to my phone, OPENING RU-vid AND GUESS WHAT DOES IT RECOMMEND ME THE VERY FIRST VIDEO?

More then email and notification it's urge to watch you tube videos that's affects by focus. What to do about it ?

Informative.

They also enable me to buy and sell very quickly. To put my ideas into practice immediately wherever I am.

This works for me: Email: Checked once an hour, using GTD's Do/Delegate/Defer/Delete approach. Inbox zero by end of day. Social media: my phone is set to DnD during Pomodoros. Between then, check social media. Tasks: Nothing is done unless it's next up in my task list. Tasks are prioritized by value throughout the day. The mind is too special to waste on memorizing todo-lists and task interrupts.

👍 yep

It splits our natural pointed focus into wide screen and we have to focus on a large area as so many are operating simultaneously that will obviously not sharpen our brain. So, it makes us dull.

We fill some pleasure when we listen notification tune.

A very crucial knowledge..thank you

Computer's and Cell phones make us work more then what our brains can handle which could lead to high stress and thus shorter lives.

TRUTH!!

Turn the notifications off.

this is a good subject, but a bit techy with the terms albeit the graphics

I Very interistinng!

Welcome to information age

I had to check my mail while watching this lol

Bring a BlackBerry! I use two phones, a Samsung Galaxy S10e and an Iphone 6S Plus as my primary and secondary device respectively.

And why there is no RU-vid icon in the thumbnail?

You are so distracted that u are watching this video...😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣

I love keeping my phone on silent.

I wish this would ran as an ad on Instagram. I k know way to many people who does this stuff

Great

A day trader can for sure relate to this 💯📈

Whoa when he was talking before the video of him started I thought it was kumail nanjiani talking!

what about task-switching and multi-tasking? How does our brains cope with these? Aren't our brains a lively evolving organ responding to and coping with changing times?

I have a new learn

I lost my focus for 5 min 30 sec (+writing comment) from real world while watching this..arrrr why me..

Getting warned about smartphones while using a smartphone :))

❤❤

I feel this problem is more prevalent in people associated with IT field.

The professor spoke like a blonde valley girl.......distracting....

ironically, as someone with adhd I use my smartphone to help focus.

Do not disturb mode and mute is the way to go

I personally cant stop focusing on the dirtiest phone i've ever seen at 4:20

I’m watching this video rather than studying for a final and I feel personally attacked 😂

Nice.

"Conversations with others make us feel more connected. That's what science is telling us."

Smartphones are the embodiment of how something that can do everything can be a bad thing

I feel like this is the case for some people and not everyone.

Wow cool post thanks for sharing ❤

I turned wifi off throughout my house might seem placebo but i have better concentration.. also defrag and delete browser cache history.

1:40 shoutout to the editors and special effects people tho

Does anyone else feel slightly anxious when they have been on their phone for too long ? Yesterday evening i was on my phone far too long, kept checking forums, messages etc etc, and i felt a bit anxious and spaced out after

BREAKING: Science now tells us that distractions are detrimental to focus

Kill all notifications, and build blocks of time for mail/social media. That’s pretty much it.. ✌️

ان شاء الله اتخلص من ادمان الهاتف وترجع قدراتي العقلية ويرجع عقلي مثل قبل واحسن

Downloading books and searching for edu videos are my lives biggest distraction. Alas!

A cute little outlook notification creeping up from the bottom of screen while i was watching the video .. :D