Education should teach children how to think and solve problems. My youngest son (now in 12th grade) actually does better with short survey courses on subjects like art, history, science and literature. If he wants to do something in-depth that's his choice.

Given the nature of the world we live in, problems need to be addressed quickly. Too much analysis and reflection delays decisions. That's not to say that long term analysis is not good, but I find it better if it's broken up into smaller chunks. It's a world of action and, of course, you must act.

I certainly have a short-attention span and I can pack a lot of intensity into it. I don't know what I'd do without my remote control. I, too, watch several shows at once. I even get anxious when my computer's high speed internet access isn't quicker than a nano-second.

It's pleasant once in a while to cook a meal from scratch but what would we do without a microwave? Or a three minute cup of noodles for a quick lunch? I'm not stressed or overworked either. I'm actually pretty calm and relaxed. It's not unusual for me to put in a seven day week. I fit everything I need to do in that week. No one's ever accused me of being a Type A or not having time for friends and family. I also find the time to train for triathlons and marathons and get some mountain climbing in. I try to make my time quality time.

I think a short attention span has been a blessing.

What was the question? I forgot.

As a writer who tends more toward introspection, it's challenging to remain relevant in a culture that isn't willing to part with more than a few seconds to decide if they're interested in what I'm writing. What I really want to do is paint a picture with a thousand words, but must condense it into ten. I admit, though, that sometimes less is more. Perhaps I too have become a victim of a short attention span. I will try to embrace that!

I recently found something on this site that I knew would interest a couple of my coworkers, and as I read the 3 or 4 sentences aloud, I sensed I had lost them. It was confirmed when I was finished, one of them said to me "that's too many words, can you summarize?"

If you want to focus better on your everyday tasks, try meditation for a half hour each day. If you can focus on your breathing and turn off your mind for that length of time, you can focus clearly on anything for an hour or more.

as far as attention span is concerned, a true cure is books. you know, books? read some alexander mccall smith. detective novels about a sweet natured dectective. as for the kids, graphic novels. i have seen some of the meanest children, boys even, brought to their knees in the aisle of a bookstore, mouths opened and drooling for more than a mere 15 minutes, holding a graphic novel. i don't understand the use of any other device. i love tv. i can still focus. now memory is another thing. but i am a war baby.

Briefly (otherwise I might lose you), the brain's ability to concentrate depends on it's capacity to produce beta waves for sustained periods. The natural enemy of focused concentration is theta -- the waves that the brain produces when we are in a state of reverie. When outside stimlulae invite the brain to jump from item to item, it encourages the dominance of theta waves.

Reverie, or a dominant theta state, is not a bad thing in and of itself -- we depend on it for creativity, dreaming, and "casting about" for options. The trick is to keep the brain flexible enough to move from state to state at will. There are a variety of modalities and activities that can produce this flexibility, including some mentioned above.

Like the rest of life, the answer seems to be avoiding a steady diet of any one thing and promoting mental flexibility with a buffet of mental stimulation.

I'd be curious to know what, if any, correlation exists between the length of attention spans and the ability to multi-task. Said ability is less and less optional these days in workplaces and in life in general. If shortened attention spans lead to a greater ability to juggle multiple thought processes then what we may be seeing, in regards to shortening attention spans, could be chalked up to a side effect of human evolution.

Well, I'm a high-school teacher, and I can certainly see these problems with attention spans. As you say, many of my colleagues are culprits. I sit in on others classes to learn about other teaching styles, and see teachers using 'sound bytes' to teach. When it comes to memorizing history dates and names, this makes sense, but in the world of experimental science, where deductive reasoning is paramount, this is unacceptable. In my own class, when I pose a problem to the class they get ornery after a minute or two. Personally, I make 'em work it out, since I am teaching a college level course, but I think it can be a problem. I feel sorry for these kids once they get to college, as they're far less accommodating.

Everyone's comments are excellent, as always. The Mock Turtle brought up an interesting point about multi-tasking and short attention spans. As stated in my original post, I train to run marathons. people will tell you to get into the "zone' while running, focus and relax. I've found it's an excellent time to compose marketing letters in my head, address other issues, and talk to people on the cell phone. Yes, I actually take it with me. Of course, I'm not a fast, elite runner, so I do have the time to multi-task while running.

Hey, it's good to know I'm on the cutting edge of evolution. I thought at my age I was ready for Jurassic Park (the retirement home for us dinosaurs).

Thanks Mock Turtle. I feel a lot better now.

Thanks J. Peterman for this interesting topic.