by Cuahutemoc Solorzano

In this world of modern technology and constant distractions, it’s difficult to focus on a single task, but there are ways to create a healthy attention span.

Attention span, or “grit” as it is sometimes referred, is the amount of time a person can spend focusing on a task without becoming distracted. Grit is a vital ability for an individual to manage responsibilities and achieve goals.

Within the past two decades, attention spans have started shrinking – drastically. 

Mr. Ruben Solorza, St. John Bosco’s AP Psychology teacher, notes that modern phones and media have contributed greatly to the ever-shrinking attention spans within individuals. In particular, younger individuals and students are most affected by technology. 

“There has been a very rapid [decrease] of focus [in students]. It ties back to them wanting to be with their phone. They want to look at their phone; they want to go on Instagram,” Mr. Solorza said. “Basically, everything [else] is seen as a barrier to get to the phone.”

Media has a profound impact on the attention span of the modern individual because it – the phone – provides whatever the individual desires, according to Mr. Solorza. If the user doesn’t enjoy what they’re viewing, then they have the option to find something else to stimulate them.

Individuals are provided with unlimited choices, thus they ‘click’ away from anything not stimulating. The ability to fix a short attention span does exist, though it requires discipline and care. 

Mr. Solorza said that short attention spans can be fixed by learning how to be bored and separated from technology. Individuals must learn to discipline themselves instead of letting others discipline them.

Being bored whilst doing something strengthens an individual’s grit because they’re still paying attention to a task despite not being stimulated.

Individuals should care about fixing their attention span, subsequently developing grit, for their academic future. Grit is extremely important for students headed toward college due to their sudden gain of independence. 

“When you have a lecture in college, you have to be able to sit for longer than ten minutes without getting up or going to do something,” Mr. Brian Miller, a science instructor at Bosco, said. 

Bosco’s teachers have implemented ways to work around the phone – by imitating it. Like smart phones themselves, teachers have begun to provide more choices to students. Mr. Miller provides videos as well as different types of projects and assignments so that he can cater to different learning styles. 

The vast majority of younger individuals were born with technology readily accessible, which ultimately cultivates their addiction to the phone and reduces their grit.

But a different approach of introducing technology to children may change their desire to use a phone.

In Hungary, they teach their children how to appropriately drink alcohol. This eliminates a large desire to drink alcohol because it stops becoming a taboo and, rather, becomes the norm to manage it or not drink at all, according to Mr. Miller. This same practice could be implemented for technology – particularly with phones.

Moderation is key for a stable life.

Not all individuals born in the age of technology are addicted, and some have healthy attention spans. Many students at Bosco are able to focus for long periods of time whilst ignoring distractions. 

Bosco junior William Pearce, a member of the school’s Executive Board, is able to study for hours on end because he knows how his phone will affect him if he uses it.

“If I’m studying for a really big test and I studied for like two hours straight, I know that if I go on my phone I’m going to be on it for way too long. So I’ll pick up my guitar and I’ll play a song,” William said. “Sometimes, I’ll open up my [DJ] deck and I’ll mix for 15 minutes, and then [when] I get bored or when I mess up, [I’ll] go back to my work.”

Maintaining a certain level of grit is difficult for any individual with a phone, but it ultimately comes down to what an individual values. If they value their academics, then they’ll prioritize learning and studying, subsequently learning grit. 

“I think if you’ve grown up valuing school, then it’s a lot easier. My whole family has been centered around school.
I’m the youngest of four, so I’ve seen [my siblings] academically successful. I [can] see why they value it so much and why they’re where they are now,” William said. “ So now I’m the one that’s like, ‘Okay, I have to value it as much as they did to get where they are.’”

Other ways to maintain a level of focus are to gradually decrease the amount of time between studying and breaks. 

“I think something that would help a lot is offering ‘brain-breaks’ so that students would have the opportunity to relax for a minute and regain their focus,” said Isabelle Prata, a senior at St. Joseph’s High School.

Isabelle, or Izzy, has to maintain a level of grit to manage being a part of a variety of extracurriculars: Drama Club, Vitality League (a club that helps organize SJ’s school-wide blood drives) and an active participant in theater. 

Another method she and many other students enjoy is listening to music while working.

“I’ve noticed that playing music with noise cancelling headphones has helped me a lot when it comes to staying focused on my work,” said Izzy. “Any music that I like works for me. I just put on one of my playlists and get to work. It lets me tune out auditory distractions while still having some sort of auditive stimulation so I’m not working in complete silence.”

A decrease in attention span has become apparent in this fast-paced media centered world. It’s impractical to not have a phone, but with it comes unlimited interruptions.

“A lot of time I notice people starting to talk in class or pick up their phones when lectures get lengthy, and I am no exception to this,” Izzy said. “I just noticed that I start getting distracted and all of a sudden I’m twelve TikToks deep on my phone.”

Maintaining grit isn’t easily attainable in this era of distractions but is feasible, as shown by these students. If you’re struggling with focus try to create some distance from the phone, study in intervals or find an environment that isn’t distracting.