Do you ever feel like you spend too much time on your phone? Or maybe you are starting to notice a decline in your attention span?
These are very normal concerns in a world that now revolves around social media and scrolling. A study was conducted to investigate the attention span of American students. This involved monitoring how often, on average, an American college student actually paid attention to anything. The scientists involved put tracking software on their computers to observe how often they would switch tasks. It was found that the college students would often change their piece of work every sixty-five seconds, with the median attention span being only nineteen seconds.
The reason I am so invested in this topic is that, for as long as I have had a phone, my mum has put on many restrictions so as not to let me spend prolonged hours on social media, such as Snapchat and Instagram. However, I recently turned eighteen, which gave me the power to turn off such app limits. I have noticed a definite change since I was given the freedom to decide how long I spend on my screen. It has become more difficult to pay attention for extended periods of time, and I often find myself reaching to check my phone even when it is in a different room from me. I am now consciously making an effort to stop wasting so many hours on my phone, scrolling and stalking my social media feed. This is an incredibly difficult task when such apps are designed to be incredibly addictive.
Virtually all games and social media work on a variable reward system, similar to a slot machine at a casino. It balances the hope that you are going to win your game and, unlike the slot machine, a sense of skill needed to improve. This formula makes these games so addictive to young minds, whose brains haven't fully developed self-control yet. These apps are designed to make you spend excessive amounts of time on a screen.
Before the phone policy was introduced, break and lunchtime in the dining hall often consisted of minimal conversation between friends, and virtually every pupil had their phones out. In the playground, instead of running around and taking full advantage of the outdoor facilities, it was common to see pupils staring at a phone or an iPad. Now that there is a mobile phone policy, I have seen a clear difference in how much more social pupils are, and the lunch hall is full of chatter.
I do want to highlight that this piece of writing is only meant to highlight the importance of limiting time on a screen, not complete elimination. I understand this is easier said than done, so here are a few tips I have found helpful: set screen time limits on your phone through the settings; make in-person plans rather than just FaceTime while playing video games; download apps like Flora for revision, as it blocks distracting apps; and lastly, set aside a few hours each week for a fun or relaxing activity that doesn't involve your phone.
Since actively trying to limit my screen time, I have been making more plans with my friends. I have started to appreciate the chance for my imagination to grow without the constant stimulation of a phone. I even have the time for reading again!