Editor's Note : Help! My Attention Span is Thinning Out

There was a time I could sit with a book for hours—deep in its world, unbothered by the ping of notifications or the itch to scroll. But these days? I start an article, stop midway, open five new tabs, get up to stretch, check Instagram, and suddenly—45 minutes have passed and I’ve accomplished… nothing.

What is happening to my attention span? Because honestly, it feels like it’s thinning out—fraying at the edges like an overwashed jumper.

I notice it in the little things: rewatching the same shows because I can’t muster the focus for new plots. Skim-reading instead of truly reading. Even replying to texts sometimes feels like an emotional chore. And it’s not laziness—it’s something else. My brain feels like a browser with 37 tabs open… and every single one thinks it’s the main character.

So What’s Going On?

Turns out, I’m not alone. Many of us are experiencing what psychologists call “continuous partial attention.” It’s not quite distraction—it’s worse. It’s a constant state of scanning, jumping, reacting—without ever truly engaging.

And our digital lives? Perfectly wired for this mess. Every ding, like, and algorithm-nudge is engineered to interrupt us and reward us just enough to keep us coming back. Dopamine, that sneaky brain chemical, gives us a mini hit every time we scroll, swipe, or stumble onto something new. The more we consume, the more we crave. But at what cost?

The cost is presence. The cost is deep work. The cost is finishing what I start.

Where I Feel It Most

In my writing. The ideas still come. But fleshing them out? Staying with them long enough to turn thoughts into something whole? That takes mental stamina I don’t always have. A sentence becomes a snack break. A paragraph becomes a TikTok scroll. A brilliant idea becomes a voice note I may or may not revisit.

Even in conversations, I catch my mind wandering—not because I’m bored, but because my attention is stretched so thin, it barely covers the moment I’m in.

Why It Matters

Losing focus isn’t just inconvenient—it chips away at identity. I’m a thinker. A creator. A storyteller. But how can I inhabit any of those roles if I can’t sit still long enough to hear myself think?

This isn’t just about productivity—it’s about presence. Living deeply. Feeling fully. Right now, my attention span is a shallow puddle… and I need it to be an ocean.

Anyway! Who’s Sitting at This Table With Me?

Can the real OGs please stand up? 😂 Because I know I’m not the only one feeling this.

And while we’re on the topic of attention—let me draw yours to what’s coming up this week on Blanck:

We’ve got outtakes from the super inspiring Tones of Beauty conference, fireside chats with industry insiders, breaking stories, and more.

It’s a new month. Let’s break a leg (not our spirits) as we face that never-ending to-do list.

Stay present (or at least, try).