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Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity with Gloria Mark

Dec 19, 2023

Join us in this episode as we chat with Gloria Mark, an expert in the impact of digital media. She shares insights on maintaining focus, cutting off email, and the pros and cons of AI. Discover how algorithms shape our choices online and how we can prioritize well-being in a digital world.

01:20:48

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Episode guests

Gloria Mark

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Quick takeaways

Achieving well-being should be the ultimate goal, as happiness and productivity are interconnected.

Attentional capacity is like a fuel tank that needs to be carefully managed to minimize distractions and maintain focus.

The influence of AI and algorithms in capturing attention raises concerns about the future impact on attention span, emphasizing the need for mindful use of technology.

Deep dives

Digital technology and its impact on productivity and well-being

The podcast episode explores the impact of digital media on people's work and personal lives, specifically looking at multitasking, attention, and stress. It emphasizes the need to shift the conversation from being maximally productive to feeling balanced in order to achieve well-being and ultimately improve productivity. The speaker discusses empirical studies showing the negative effects of technology on stress levels and suggests that achieving happiness and well-being should be the ultimate goal. The link between happiness and productivity is also highlighted, with research showing that individuals who are happy tend to be more creative and energetic.

The downside of technology-driven productivity culture

00:43

Strengthening Willpower and Focusing on the Present

01:09

Attention Span on Screens

01:19

Introduction

2min

Achieving Balance and Prioritizing Well-being

21min

Attention Traps and Their Impact on Productivity

18min

The Impact of Algorithms in AI and Machine Learning

8min

Exploring Free Will, Determinism, and Attention Spent

4min

The Impact of Cutting off Email

22min

The Value of Sleep Tracking and Daily Exercise

2min

Maintaining Streaks, Pickleball Obsession, and Prioritizing Well-being

3min

In this week’s episode of the Growth Guide podcast, we have the honor of having a conversation with Gloria Mark, Chancellor’s Professor Emerita of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine. She studies the impact of digital media on people’s work and personal lives, examining multitasking, attention and stress. She has published over 200 articles in top journals and conferences and her research has been covered in popular media, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and more.

She joined us today to talk about her recent book, ‘Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness, and Productivity’, which presents the science of how our attention spans have diminished in the digital age, along with solutions for regaining focus and well-being.

Our conversation with Gloria revolves around the constraints presented by algorithms, social forces, and personal traits when making choices online. We dive into the impact of cutting off email for a week on productivity and stress levels, the unintended consequences of technology, the pros and cons of AI, and the challenge of maintaining focus in the midst of constant digital distractions.

Gloria's insights shed light on how we can navigate the digital landscape to prioritize well-being and maintain a positive store of mental resources. So grab your headphones and join us as we explore the fascinating intersection of technology, attention, and personal growth.

[06.10] Work from home – Starting the conversation, Gloria explains the impact that has on our attention when we are working from home.

[12.00] Paying attention – We talk about how you get distracted by unconscious actions and how to reduce them.

[20.10] Taking a break – Gloria shares her idea on the importance of connecting with nature while we are working and the positive impacts it has on our creativity.

[28.50] Shots – We talk about how short videos on social media cause us to have short attention spans.

[36.00] 40 seconds – We dive into the research findings about the 40-second length of attention we have on any screen before switching to something else.

[44.00] Artificial intelligence – Gloria talks about the lack of creativity when using artificial intelligence to create content.

[50.42] Free will – We talk about how a neurotic person can still extend their attention span even if they have more challenges than someone who's not neurotic.

[59.05] Electronic communication – The imbalance between the sender and the receiver in an electronic communication.

[01.04.47] Four properties – Gloria explains the four properties of human agency; intentionality, forethought, self-regulation, and self-reflection.

[01.17.21] Well-being – We end today’s conversation with Gloria’s suggestion of putting our well-being first rather than using technology to exhaustion.

Resources

Connect with Gloria

Website - gloriamark.com/

Newsletter - https://gloriamark.substack.com/

Twitter - twitter.com/GloriaMark_PhD

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/gloriamark/

Book by Gloria Mark

Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity

Book by Daniel Kahneman

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Book by Robert H. Lustig

The Hacking of the American Mind: The Science Behind the Corporate Takeover of Our Bodies and Brains