Everyone is distracted.
Everyone knows this, it's discussed so often, and yet, somehow, I still think it's not talked about enough.
The omnipresence of social media and smartphones has put everyone into a state of constant distraction. No one is focused and fully present when they're doing anything. Work, hobbies, relationships, family, even time to oneself.
I'm guessing people in their mid 40s and older don't quite get it. The rise of the smartphone was after they established themselves. This tech is all neat and confusing and stuff that their kids and grandkids understand way better than them. But their lack of full understanding also shields them from the damage.
Certainly for most people in their 20s (me) and younger, it's such an ingrained habit and so strongly associated with daily life. I don't even consider myself to be that "online," but I'm really just making myself feel better because I don't participate in the short-form video world. Not for me. My only exception is that occasionally I download Instagram to laugh at some Reels for 20 minutes, then I delete Instagram. YouTube and Twitter/X are my drugs of choice.
I hate to say that the time wasting and lack of efficiency is inevitable, but right now, it feels like that. I don't just mean in the workplace (although it's most obvious there). I mean it in every aspect of a person's life. To say the ability to focus on something for more than thirty minutes is a rare and admirable skill right now isn't an exaggeration.
To be clear, I include myself in all these descriptions. I struggle with this constantly. I don't have the answers, unsure if there's any solution, and don't really see movement or pathway towards a better way. If anyone has ideas, I'm all ears, because so many young people have at least part of their attention and energy held hostage by a combination of smartphones and social media.