Researchers say modern people’s attention spans have shrunk.
This isn’t just about the average adult: people can focus on a task for just 17 minutes and 10 seconds. The situation is worse for half of Generation Z (ages 18 to 24), who report getting distracted every 60 seconds. Only 7 percent of people over 65 report that level of mental wandering.
What Did the Researchers Discover?
Experts at Nest, a company that studies contemporary social issues, surveyed 2,000 UK residents. They found that adults’ attention spans have declined. Thirty-six percent of respondents reported a decrease in their ability to concentrate. The study revealed that the average Brit can listen to another person for just 19 minutes.
According to the survey, Brits spend nearly the same amount of time—an average of 19 minutes and 49 seconds—dealing with financial matters. They can focus on work tasks for about 20 minutes and 40 seconds, per the Daily Mail.
Furthermore, 39 percent of respondents admitted to feeling the urge to check their phones when they lose interest. Forty-five percent acknowledged they jump from one task to another, while 42 percent said they daydream instead of concentrating on the task at hand.
Only 22 percent said their attention span had improved.
Three Culprits Behind the Decline
The main factors behind the decline are fatigue, stress, and mobile phones.
Gavin Pereira-Betts, the lead researcher, said, “Constant notifications, social media, and instant access to information can affect our ability to concentrate for extended periods. But it’s not just technology to blame—stress and fatigue also play a significant role. When we are tired or stressed, it becomes difficult to maintain focus.”
In 2015 Microsoft claimed the average attention span was just 8 seconds—shorter than a goldfish’s roughly 9 seconds.
However, that figure was later disputed for lack of strong evidence.
