If you’ve noticed your attention span getting shorter (and shorter), you’re not alone. Between the distractions of remote work, the demands of everyday life, and the pings and dings of modern communication, it seems harder than ever to stay focused. 

In the latest episode, we talk to professor and author Dr. Gloria Mark about how the brain enables focus, why multitasking is stressful and counter-productive, and how to use meta-awareness, goal-setting, and forethought to take back control of your attention.

We’ll talk about:

• The most common myths about focus 
• The difference between flow and attention 
• How researchers define focus, boredom, and frustration
• Why multitasking actually harms performance 
• The ways remote work can affect different chronotypes
• Why digital detoxes aren’t a long-term solution
• How we can use technology to maintain focus 

About Gloria

• University of California
• Website
• LinkedIn

More resources:

• Dropbox Virtual First Toolkit | Improve workday focus
• Dropbox Work In Progress blog
• Dropbox news
• How businesses and organizations use Dropbox

Takeaways:

• Multitasking kills productivity. Quickly shifting focus slows us down, causes errors, and raises blood pressure.
• Attentional resources are finite. No one can stay in flow all day. Go easy on yourself and take breaks when you’re tired.
• Where goals go, attention follows. Set task and emotional goals each day, and revisit them often to stay on track.
• Find what works for you. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to finding focus.

Learn more at remotely-curious.com.