We are being told that our techno-social devices are dumbing us down.
Never before in history have we, as modern-corporate humans, had to battle interruptions while working as much as we do today. And yet, never before have we had this gift of multifaceted communication lines to essential connections.
When we respond to texts, tweets and Facebook notifications, our brain power takes a hit and functions *20% less efficiently than if uninterrupted.
They say it takes about *25 minutes for our brain to return to its original task after we submit to our handhelds.
This isn’t really news to us though, is it? We know and feel every distraction that meets us head on as we plow down the road to fruition.
Constantly hearing about how detrimental this is for our productivity is, quite honestly, getting trite. Today’s Voice of Reason is turning into, quite bluntly, a nag.
We do hear you. We get it: Our mission to stay on task is constantly under attack. Even now, as I type this, I am ignoring an incoming text. My mind is busy acknowledging its call to action; my thoughts pulling away from writing to you beautiful, big-brained people.
But hold on, Voice of Reason. Aren’t we adaptable? Aren’t us humans known to configure ourselves and our functionality to our environment? Aren’t we ever-evolving in a world that continues to do the same? Case in point: We are definitely less hairy and tail-less these days.
In a recent *study where they focused on interruptions within three study groups (one with no interruptions, one with interruptions and one who were warned of interruptions that never came), reality looks promising.
At first, yes, the interrupted group performed less than the uninterrupted group, but over time the gap closed.
In the study group that was warned of interruptions that never came, members improved by a colossal 43 percent, even outperforming the controlled group who experienced no interruptions.
In other words, participants learned and their brains adapted.
So: We are capable of improving and dealing with it.
Dumbing Down? No. I think we’re growing, adapting and evolving into beings that are communicating in more ways than ever before.
Thankfully, without full body hair and tails.
*stats pulled from the University of California, Irvine
