Idly consuming digital content, I ran across an article by Srinivas Rao regarding the influence of digital media on creativity. Extreme consumption, he stated, can restrict our capacity to do deep thinking, ultimately impacting creativity.
Hmm. My attention peaked. Maybe, I thought, I can figure out why I
haven’t started the third book of my trilogy.
He pointed to the following:
- We get decision fatigue–we make three hundred decisions a day. When you do a “like” on Facebook, determine whether to respond to an email, or buy something online, you are making a decision. Note to self: I’ve probably made forty decisions in the two hours I’ve been at my computer.
- Poor attention span—Many of us habitually flip between our digital gadgets and what’s going on around us, drawn to new stimuli. Sticking to the same thing for an extended period, where the intense thinking occurs, becomes boring. Note to self: In the process of writing this article, I’ve switched my attention to the TV, incoming messages from Alexa, and the view out my window.
- Multitasking and attention residue—While working, the impulse to check an electronic message the moment it arrives pulls us away from what we are doing. Failure to concentrate for even ten minutes at a time can cause us to lose anywhere from twenty to forty percent of our efficiency. Note to self: I’ve checked my email at least three times since I began this blog.
- Bad for mental health—Seeing how beautiful others’ lives are on Facebook can really be depressing. Few post the lousy side of life. Note to self: I feel vindicated that I do not frequently check Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
All this jumping around, Rao says, causes you to be mediocre at a bunch of things as opposed to being excellent at one thing.
So, it looks like I’ve got lots of work to do. I only met one of the four bars to raising my creativity to peak levels. As soon as I check my email and do a jigsaw puzzle online, I’ll get back to work.
Source: https://getpocket.com/explore/item/why-excessive-consumption-limits-your-creativity?utm_source=pocket-newtab accessed December 10, 2019
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