We All Have Attention Deficit Now

Time's Feb 3 cover story.

The 24/7 wireless world is a cornucopia of shiny distractions, which is why there's a growing mindfulness movement. Turn the gadgets off, if only for a little while, and concentrate on one thing at a time. Your brain will thank you.

Researchers have found that multitasking leads to lower overall productivity. Students and workers who constantly and rapidly switch between tasks have less ability to filter out irrelevant information, and they make more mistakes.

Placing our gadgets within easy reach on the nightstand is as tempting and potentially harmful as having a refrigerator next to the bed. Your humble observer is going back to reading dead-tree books at bedtime; it's important to preserve the (few) neurons he has left.