Let me ask you a question, can you watch a whole 50-minute video on Youtube without getting bored?
What about a 2-hour math class?
If you are like most people nowadays, you can't. It's so tedious.
With social media, we got used to consuming fast content. Fast information usually is very insufficient as well as addicting.
Social platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook can destroy your capability of maintaining focus while doing some task that takes time and concentration.
I really can't say enough how terrible that is.
We must learn in order to live, we must focus in order to learn, we must get used to the feeling of boredom in order to focus.
Do this every single day:
- consume something that takes 50 or more minutes (video, podcasts, books, etc.).
- Do nothing for 10 minutes.
- Notice the feeling of boredom and accept it.
- avoid videos with less than 20 minutes of duration
By doing this consistently you can once again be the human everyone was supposed to be.
So, if you can change, don't be stupid, please!
Feeling so stupid right now…
True, I can't to watch things on my computer or smartphone for more than 30 minutes, I always have to open any social network to see something on it. Thanks for the advice, I will try to change!
I agree with you that it's concerning that the ability to focus seems to constantly decrease in the overall population and I also think that it's good to train how to focus. However, I absolutely do not agree with calling people who struggle to focus stupid, because not all evil is due to social media. A short concentration span can have many causes, mental illness being one of them. So please be careful with your words, you never know who might read them.
@MexAlba99 Don't be. It won't help.
@Kaio Good luck!
@MimmiCaro They are not stupid but lost. I'm stupid, that's for me.
Honestly, I think about this a lot, and I try now to consume more slow forms of content. With everything rushing by so fast, it's relaxing to crack open a book, sit and be comfortable, and just be concentrated and present with it. I like that feeling, and I'm glad that I was able to cultivate that habit at a younger age. Many other people I know have real trouble sitting down to read, even if they have a strong desire to.
I think a daily meditation practice fits quite neatly into your list. At it's core you're sitting alone with your mind for extended periods of time with little outside stimuli. It's a good way to focus the mind, observe your thoughts and feelings, and bring quietude into your daily life.