Time Online Isn’t Fast. It’s Fragmented
And that’s why we feel both rushed and stuck. Have you ever opened your phone for "just a minute," then suddenly realized 45 minutes slipped by? Or skimmed five headlines, read none of them, then said to yourself: "I just don’t have the time to focus." You’re not alone. But this isn’t really about time. It’s about attention. And what we’re asking of it
mindful-sharing
7/1/25
The Disappearing Span
In 2004, the average time a person spent on one screen task was about 2.5 minutes, according to Dr. Gloria Mark, researcher at UC Irvine. Today? It’s down to 47 seconds.
This doesn’t mean we’re lazy. It means we’re flooded.
Every scroll, ping, preview, and pop-up takes a little bite out of our mental energy. The brain gets used to switching. Staying still feels wrong.
"The more we train ourselves to jump, the harder it becomes to dive."
Infinite Scroll, Empty Bowl
The design of social media and news feeds encourages endless grazing. Scroll, dopamine. Scroll again. Maybe this time it’ll feel worth it.
Researchers compare infinite scroll to a bottomless soup bowl — you don’t notice how much you’re consuming, because you never hit a stopping point.
A 2024 article in The Guardian warns this behavior may be "reconfiguring the brain" in ways that mimic ADHD-like patterns, especially in younger users.
We don’t pause. So we don’t process.
Doomscrolling Isn’t News. It’s a Nervous Habit.
We also confuse staying "informed" with staying anxious.
Endless bad headlines — especially when passively consumed — overwhelm working memory. This leads to mental fatigue, shallow retention, and a sense of learned helplessness.
And yet… we keep scrolling.
Why? Because scrolling feels productive. But it’s not purposeful. It’s emotional stalling — an effort to soothe discomfort by consuming more.
The Real Paradox:
We say we have no time for depth.
But we waste hours on noise.
It’s not about how long we spend online. It’s about how fast it all feels — because it’s fragmented, distracted, and often reactive.
What Helps
Name what you’re doing. Open your browser with intention, not instinct.
Add small obstacles. Timers, bookmarks, even a sticky note: "What am I here for?"
Rebuild depth with silence. Even 10 minutes without a screen lets your brain stretch again.
Remember: You’re not short on time. You’re short on space.
Sources & Further Reading
Gloria Mark, Attention Span (2023) – https://gloriamark.com
Microsoft Canada, Attention Spans Report (2015) – Time.com Summary
The Guardian, Is Doomscrolling Really Rotting Our Brains? (2024) – Read
The Guardian, Scroll On: Why Your Screen Time Isn’t Always Bad (2024) – Read
