The Author Who Published Groundbreaking Research on Short Attention Spans – on How to Rewire Our Brains and Become Smarter Again

The routine goes something like this… you pack a novel to read on the morning commute, only to end up on our phone. A text comes in, or an email and before you know it you’re scrolling on TikTok, flicking between reels on Instagram. Sound familiar?

If we’re all doing it, just what does that mean for the state of our attention economy? Are we the problem, or are the powers that be in the scrollsphere – social media and streaming services alike, solely to blame?

So how is society responding to rising loneliness statistics, shrinking attention spans, and weakened critical reasoning? Is it even possible to retrain the brain, and just how long does it take to get hooked by a TikTok hole? So many questions, so little time (before we end up in another scroll hole...)

We spoke with Gloria Mark for our series Practical Optimism, where we ask SXSW London talent for their thoughts on how we can shape a better future for all.

SXSW: What do you think people are getting wrong about the attention economy currently?

Gloria Mark: People think you can simply do a digital detox to solve the problem. And say, well, we'll just cut out technology and live without technology, and what's wrong with that? Number one, we can't do without technology. We live in a technological world; that ship has sailed. We're here, and we have to learn how to live with it. Number two, if you do a digital detox, you come back and you pick up exactly the same habits. So it's really about changing our life routines to incorporate technology but still be able to use our human capabilities to their full extent.

SXSW: Right. Is it even possible to ‘fix’ our attention span?

Gloria Mark: The best way to retrain your brain is by reading long form content. Reading books teaches us skills, it improves our working memory. It helps us with reflection, deliberation. We don't get to use those kinds of skills when we're looking at short form content, like reels and short videos on social media feeds.

SXSW: What do you think people should know more about when it comes to technology, and the future of human capabilities?

Gloria Mark: They should understand how we can develop habits so fast, and how they can impact us. It takes only about 35 minutes to develop a habit of getting stuck on TikTok. So it can happen fast, and then it's really hard to break away. This has real impact, not just on our cognition, but also our emotions. We’re getting dulled in our ability to feel, and to have meaningful relationships.

SXSW: So it’s affecting fundamental structures of human life?

Gloria Mark: Imagine that you prefer texting as opposed to meeting face to face. But this means missing out on so many social signals from people. But there is a skill involved in interpreting these kinds of social signals, one we develop simply by being around people. When you're pretty much just texting, it strips us of all these social cues.

SXSW: Yes, and what are we left with at that point?

Gloria Mark: Really you're getting just the bare minimum.

SXSW: I’m curious to know if you’re someone who uses these platforms. And if so, how do you go about doing so? Is it possible to do so ‘mindfully’?

Gloria Mark: I use them very minimally. I will use LinkedIn to post if I have a new Substack, or I might use X to just post something. But I don't get a lot of value from from being on social media, and knowing the pull of it.

SXSW: That makes sense – the spell has been broken for you.

Gloria Mark: When I was researching my first book, trying to understand how the TikTok algorithm affects us, I thought I better go on TikTok and see what it’s about. I was hooked very quickly. After 35 minutes, I could have been there for hours. I had to consciously stop myself. So there is definitely a danger of getting pulled in. And when you get to that state of really being habituated to that platform, it's hard to pull back.

SXSW: Exactly, and the deeper you get, the harder it is to pull yourself back. I wonder about a future where we struggle to even dispense information in a way that people still connect with. Because you see reading rates are down and social media use is up, it's like, how do we go about even attempting to fix that problem?

Gloria Mark: I think it's about getting people to understand that effort that they put into things can bring rewards.

SXSW: Right, having some agency maybe?

Gloria Mark: It’s not just that we get quick hits when we go on social media, but also we're very little effort. I've been interviewing lots and lots of people, and have found that the people who have passion projects of some kind – it could be designing, it could be music, could be even gardening. People talk about the fulfilment they get from doing things that require a little effort.

It's not just the end product. It's the work put in along the way that's just as rewarding. If you have something that you're deeply interested in, then you simply forget about things that give those quick hits.

SXSW: The reward system is being completely hijacked by something else. If we zoom out, and look at where attention and technology intersect as a whole, what do you think needs to fundamentally change?

Gloria Mark: There's a lot of things that need to fundamentally change.

SXSW: Ok. Top three?

Gloria Mark: We have to start getting out more. Put in the extra effort to arrange a meeting with someone, to go somewhere, to physically be with other people.

Number two, I would say it's really important to do things that can rewire our brains to pay sustained attention. Start getting in the practice of reading books, and not boring books. Read something that's really interesting, that can get you immersed! When you're immersed in a good book, you're transported to a different place. You forget about the world and your mind is getting retrained, like a muscle.

Number three, is to think about doing a passion project. It could be online, we don't have to get rid of technology, but recognise it as a tool that can help us accomplish something else. Next time you're tempted to go on social media, turn to your passion project.

What the effort itself gives us is really interesting. I used to be an artist, and it wasn't so much about the final painting for me, it was the process of doing the painting that was so rewarding. I would urge everyone to find a passion project – anything that brings you into it and captivates you.

SXSW: Thanks for your time Gloria.

Head to SXSWLondon.com to grab your pass.