The Greg McKeown Podcast

171. Protecting Your Peak Attention Windows with Dr. Gloria Mark (Part 1)

Feb 16, 2023

Dr. Gloria Mark, a respected Professor at UC Irvine, shares her 30 years of expertise in attention and technology. They dive into the alarming decline of attention spans due to digital distractions and multitasking, highlighting the intricate connection between stress and productivity. Dr. Mark reveals that almost half of interruptions are self-induced, driven by boredom. The conversation also uncovers the cyclic nature of attention throughout the day, urging listeners to manage their mental resources effectively for improved focus.

31:56

Episode guests

Gloria Mark

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

The Difference Between Experience Stress and Perceived Stress

00:45

The Effect of External Interruptions on Interruptions

00:45

Intro

2min

Navigating Attention in a Digital Age

14min

The Nature of Self-Interruption

5min

Understanding Attention: Four Types Explored

3min

Understanding the Rhythm of Focused Attention

2min

Everyone is distracted by technology, and all of us have experienced this sense that our level of distraction is increasing. Even the speed with which we move from website to website, from app to app seems to be increasing in pace. And there's lots of people out there willing to talk about what we should do and how we can improve. But very few of those people have the data to help us think through this problem and what to do about it with precision. That's why I've invited Dr. Gloria Mark onto the podcast today. Dr. Mark has spent 30 years studying attention and the relationship between humans and technology. She's published more than 150 peer-reviewed papers, so the difference when she speaks, even when she says things that sound like you've heard them before, is that she has a detail and a data-driven perspective behind what is being said. In other words, she's more credible, she's more accurate, and it really is a pleasure to have her. By the end of this episode, you'll be able to establish and protect your peak attention windows of opportunity.

Learn more from Dr. Mark here: https://gloriamark.com/

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