Have phones ruined your concentration?

[Januaryquiet]

When I was a child I loved reading, I also loved watching TV and films. I probably read less as an adult but I still did read a few books now and then.

My phone addiction has completely ruined this for me. I do still watch TV but even that I have to make a conscious effort to put the phone away.

I also waste far too much time and procrastinate because it’s too easy to pick up the phone.

All I do is check my emails, have a read on mumsnet, browse the shopping apps, scroll Instagram.

I could delete all of the apps completely but some of it is enjoyable and interesting if only I could limit myself to checking once a day or something like that. It’s because it’s too easy and requires no effort but it also annoys me.

Anyone else feel like this or managed to break the habit?

Ugh yes, I do still read books but it's hard to read for long periods like I used to when I was younger. I do like finding out about local events like gigs on Facebook, seeing my friends' pictures and also to see comments on my pictures (hillwalking mostly). But it's got so much worse over the years and very little of it is that actually valuable content, it's mostly just rubbish. But I can't stop now, and they know it.

No actually. But my concentration has been up and down since childhood.
I've always been a reader. I go through phases of no reading at all then a book a day for a while. Phone use hasnt really altered that.
I love films but I do struggle to concentrate due to wanting to Google things like facts about the film.. I have to stop myself from doing that! Which is why I like going to the cinema as you can't do that there.
I do worry about younger people and their inability to focus on long form stuff due to their consumption of short stuff like YouTube videos or tiktoks

But all in all I think something like reading is a habit you need to make the effort to get off the ground and that's not related to phone use. It's an effort even before the existence of phones.. I had to set aside specific time to read or else it wouldn't happen even before smartphones. Abd I love reading. It's just hard to get off the ground if you've not read anything for a while

I absolutely know what you're saying. I'm currently trying to cut down on my phone usage. Mumsnet is one of my biggest waste of time!!!

Sorry, too long, I lost concentration halfway through that 🤣

I have the kindle app on my phone and find it great for reading during commutes (I always have a book on me now!), and for reading in bed when the lights are off.

My phone charging port is flakey and I have to put it upstairs to charge. It’s stopped me double screening when I watch tv and also not around for meal times. Physical separation is the only fix. Same solution for reading books

Yes, I don’t get through half as many books as I used to pre smartphone.

oh god yes, and I take the bloody thing to bed. I wake at 3ish (thanks menopause) and the anxiety about picking it up, or not, sitting with my feelings or getting a distraction is awful. I have managed to get off trashy things like xitter and insta, but even so, its too easy to use the thing as a crutch.

Yes.

I want to put my phone away in a drawer when I’m at home but I have kids and elderly relatives who rely on me so I worry about not being reachable.

Andwhen the phone is constantly nearby I struggle to switch off from it.

going to put it down now….

Yeah me too but I can now sit through a film ok without double screening (that’s what it’s called)
I watch stuff with my teens and I’d be pissed off if they started going on their phones so I don’t do it either now.
I can focus fine at work. Reading is an issue but I think that’s more about book club books.
Start off with episodes then move on to films.
Find a page turner type of book. Psychological thriller’s are good for that.

I installed Tik Tok last year to see some specific content.
A few months later I started posting and it really took off.
I gained thousands of followers, hundreds of thousands of likes and comments and it took up ages of my time.
And boy, did it DESTROY my concentration span. Thankfully the last few months have seen the algorithm change and push my content out less. So I've scaled back time on the app. Only use it for very short bursts of time and have made a determined effort to spend more time reading books.

I am reading a lot more, but I do find it harder to concentrate on the t.v. There's always the temptation to just check on that Mumsnet thread.

I'm furious myself to be honest. I'm 58 and should know better. Heaven only knows how kids attention spans will survive.

No. I have always gone through periods when i cannot be bothered to read a book. I have also had times when i can easily read a book a day. I have the kindle app on my phone so i do read more than i use to. I am guilty of scrolling on my phone when call the midwife is on but it is not as good as what it use to be. However i can watch deptq and the crown without checking my phone.

Yes definitely.

Nope, but I'm old. I have a phone to text the DC and occasionally take a photo of the dog. Currently on laptop browsing MN, but 30 mins or so will do me and I spend very little time on my phone/online.

I'd genuinely rather be reading, knitting, pottering about, outside etc. I watch very little tv and probably only watch 3 films a year. I'm not very interested in screen time. (Brought up in the 70s, and suspect I just never really developed the habit)

Yes, absolutely. I read recently that on average people check their phones every 12 minutes? If Im reading a book or watching TV I get twitchy after a bit and think 'I'll just check where this was filmed/ the author/ the history around what I just read/ what's that called' etc and go down a rabbit hole. Half the time by the time I pick my phone up I've already forgotten what I was going to look up.

I do this. I wanted to know the reason why (as relatively intelligent and self aware person) I did something so silly and why I couldn't stop.

I discovered the term "revenge procrastination" and it really resonated.

I am hoping if I understand why I do it, I can stop.

I also have 15 minutes timers on FB/MN and Instagram.

It scares me how addicted I have become at this old age when I should know better and didn't grow up with it.
And the poor kids , they don't stand a chance.

Im manifesting some kind of event that takes the decision out of my hands not prison or a coma and I have started to buy DVDs again in case something happens 😳. I'm determined to finish a book on holiday in April.

Saw a pretty much identical thread on here earlier today when I last picked my phone up.

Yes, and I hate it. I’ve been thinking a lot about all that time I’ve spent time-wasting online over the years, possibly because I recently turned 50 last month. It’s been a bit of a painful process. I did delete email from my phone today, though, and do feel better for it. I used to read five books a month, last year it was one a month. Can’t sit through a film at home or even a half hour TV show without googling it or one of the actors. I’m trying to read three books a month which I’m on track for. One step at a time, I suppose.

Yes. My DH has started calling me a teenager for the amount of time I look at my phone or tablet.

Yes.
I wish I could stop.

That was my thread earlier! Was quite weird seeing pretty much exactly the same one now! But at least it’s a relief it’s not just me who has no concentration anymore. (And to prove the point of my earlier thread, I’m still browsing mumsnet instead of reading…..)

This is me.

How do we stop? I downloaded a book…but I haven’t read it yet…because I can’t stop scrolling to do it…

Id say we could have a MN support group but that somewhat defeats the purpose…