What is the current state of your ability to concentrate?

Research suggests that we modern humans interrupt what we are doing on a screen and shift our attention to another tab, our phone, or something else after an average of just 47 seconds. Twenty years ago, the corresponding figure was around 2.5 minutes.

Today, an inability to concentrate is often attributed to ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disorder involving difficulties with attention and hyperactivity that is present from birth. In reality, however, for most people the issue is ADT (Attention Deficit Trait). Like ADHD, ADT can cause restlessness, difficulty maintaining attention, and an inability to work with sustained focus. ADT is not a disorder or a permanent condition, however. It is usually caused by prolonged overuse of digital devices and social media, multitasking, a constant sense of urgency, stress, and inadequate recovery from demanding habits and routines. It is possible to recover from this self-induced difficulty with concentration, provided you recognise the problem and are willing to make meaningful changes to your lifestyle.

Do you have perfect pitch? Would you make a reliable eyewitness? Could you be cut out to be an astronaut?

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