Working from home during Covid-19 is wreaking havoc on focus, productivity, and well-being.

You are NOT alone if you are feeling exhausted, irritable, struggling to focus on your work, having sleep issues, or even fighting just to face the day during the pandemic. This extended period of working from home with no clear end in sight is becoming harder and harder. Many people feel they might be developing a bonafide attention disorder like A.D.D. due to overwhelming amounts of screen time, Zoom meetings and consumption of information. Our daily lives have become so packed full of distractions and demands on our attention that most people are burning out their attentional systems.

Attention Fatigue is not a clinical disorder like A.D.D.  Rather it is a set of symptoms being created by overload.

Simply put, OUR BRAINS ARE EXHAUSTED. 

 

Is too much screen time really that bad?

YES, YES, YES! Human beings and other mammals did not evolve to stare into digital devices void of actual contact with others. The reward system is easily overwhelmed by rich visual content. We seek smartphones etc. when we feel bad, bored, less than, etc. We do this to the point that it is compulsive, addictive, and ultimately makes us feel bad. Just like the alcoholic who picks up a drink to feel better, then feels bad for doing so. Screens and information are the whiskey of today. Screen time dulls your mind, leaves you hungover, and damages your relationships.

 

Effects of Screen Time on the Brain and Psyche

Gray matter atrophy — Multiple studies have shown atrophy (shrinkage or loss of brain tissue volume) in areas where processing occurs. Areas affected included the important frontal lobe, which governs executive functions, such as planning, prioritizing, organizing, and impulse control.

Reduced cortical thickness — The Cortex is the outermost part of the brain where our most complex thoughts and mental process take place. Studies have shown that this loss of cortical thickness is the worst in the Prefrontal Cortex where executive functions are carried out.

Impaired cognitive function— Imaging studies have found less efficient information processing and reduced impulse inhibition, increased sensitivity to rewards and an insensitivity to loss and abnormal brain activity associated with poor task performance.

Cravings — Research into the role of dopamine (the main reward neurotransmitter) and tech use has shown that it brings about the same addictive patterns in our reward system as drugs, alcohol, and gambling.

Mood — Social media may be the greatest offender here, but dating apps and news sites are following close behind. People report feeling down after using social media.  To feel better, they go back on social media, which strengthens the pattern. What happens? That’s right, feeling worse and worse.

Emotional Control — Rates of hostility, impatience, aggression, and intense negative emotions go way up following extended screen time.

 

Symptoms of Attention Fatigue

There are 6 major areas of mental processing that are altered by AF:

1. Input — One may experience misperception and miss social cues.

2. Thinking — One may experience feelings of restlessness, confusion, forgetfulness and/or decreased metacognition.

3. Behavior — One may experience feelings of impulsiveness and recklessness, and may find that they have a diminished level of threshold between thoughts and actions. One may also act out-of-character.

4. Executive Functioning — One may experience an inability to plan and make appropriate decisions, and may experience impaired judgment ability.

5. Emotions — One may experience being short-tempered and feelings of unpleasantness.

6. Social Interactions — One may experience heightened irritability and increased frequency of antisocial feelings.

 

List of Common Individual Symptoms

-Feeling pressured “too much going on”

-Missing details such as misspelling words

-Sense of having zero down time

-Mental blocks, forgetfulness, losing track of conversation

-Depressive thoughts or anxious thoughts without merit

-Angry, impatient, edgy, or curt

-Headaches, GI symptoms, insomnia, “tired eyes”

-Feeling like one more question may cause you to “explode”

-Compulsive checking of digital devices without control

-Excessive distractibility

-Stubbing toes, bumping into walls, dropping things

IMPORTANT: If you are experiencing any of the symptoms above you need to check in with your medical provider as they can be symptoms of serious medical issues.

 

What causes Attention Fatigue?

The cause of Attention Fatigue is not a mystery. Neither is the dramatic rise in AF symptoms across society. The root is simply an excessive demand on our attention and mental focus. This demand coupled with the large amounts of information we consume during hours of screen time creates a perfect storm. If we add the cognitive and emotional drain from social media we start to see that this can feel like a losing battle. 

We did not evolve to consume information or to have our attention/focus pulled in 20 directions at once. We have created the ultimate disease of modern life. 

 

Fortunately, there are effective ways to decrease symptoms and improve your quality if life.

 

Managing Attention Fatigue

NOTE: The statements in this section are for educational purposes only. They are not intended to serve as treatment recommendations for a psychological or medical condition.

The management of Attention Fatigue requires a two fold process. The path or paths that one chooses is dependent on their current level of dysfunction and most pressing areas of one’s life.  In a perfect world, we would all have the time and resources to address both the underlying causes of AF and work to reduce the symptoms already present. 

Unfortunately, AF has already had such a profound negative impact on many people that symptom management must be the first place to start.  Reducing symptoms requires a very similar protocol to that of managing Attention Deficit Disorder.  This ranges from skills for managing distractions to organization to fitness to project management to maximizing strengths and passions.  One of the most effective and efficient ways to achieve this is through a video based program like my Overcoming Attention Fatigue series.

Addressing the underlying causes of AF requires direct changes to your lifestyle. Less screen time, more time reflecting, more time in nature, more time connecting in person with people, doing one task at a time etc.

Fortunately, there are quick and easy fixes to help the brain restore its ability to focus.  Studies show that spending a short period of time—even one as brief as 20 minutes—in a more natural setting can help the brain recover from the stresses of Attention Fatigue.  That may be why urban greenways such as Central Park in New York City, or Hyde Park in London remain such popular venues—they allow city dwellers a place to escape the turbulence around them.  If you have access to wild places and nature near you, it is best to spend time there regularly.

The techniques for improving focus and task completion found in the Overcoming Attention Fatigue series can have an aggregate positive effect on the symptoms of AF.

 

Team Up

So many people around you are experiencing the same issues related to Attention Fatigue.  There is NO REASON TO GO AT THIS ALONE.  Engage a friend, a family member, or a co-worker in the process. 

From addressing the underlying causes to managing symptoms, it will be more effective doing it in tandem with someone else.  Why? It’s simple; social connection and accountability.

 

There is hope. Be empowered.

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Phil Boissiere is the leading Attention Fatigue management expert.  He believes that all people deserve effective and focused tools for managing attention related issues like Attention Fatigue, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and workplace related burnout. Phil has dedicated himself to helping people live meaningful and productive lives.