Johann Hari
Notifications and workplace demands interrupt attention, while tech companies profit from distraction. Reclaiming focus calls for personal changes and collective action.
The human brain can only hold one or two thoughts at a time, meaning multitasking is actually rapid, energy-draining task switching that severely degrades cognitive performance and creativity.
Constant interruptions from digital notifications prevent us from achieving flow, the state of deep, immersive focus required for meaningful progress and genuine satisfaction.
Recommending individual solutions like meditation to solve systemic distraction is a form of cruel optimism that unfairly blames individuals while ignoring the corporate forces actively degrading our attention.