You Probably Won't Finish This Article! And here's Why……
According to a study done by Professor Gloria Mark at the University of California, we are interrupted every 3 minutes in our daily life.
Now, this can be with text, calls, other distractions, notifications, or anything in between.
However, the study also showed that half of these interruptions are self-imposed.
Now, think about it, we ourselves come in between our tasks!
Moreover, this is what makes this situation more difficult to tackle.
You can lock yourself away from the entire world, but how on earth will you get away from your own intelligence!
Now, let me get deep into why you won't finish the article that you have started reading.
Understanding the DATA
It says, ” You just won't Scroll ”
Surprised?
Maybe not.
Let me give you the numbers.
Research has shown that most readers only scroll through 60% of the whole article. Seems like a lot but still, it is just a bit more than half of the article.
Then there is a group of 10% readers, who simply don't even scroll!
Think about it. They just read the first paragraph. Or I should say skimp through the first 2 or 3 paragraphs!
This is what numbers are saying.
Now, coming to the Emotion behind Why you likely won't finish the article
1) Our attention span
Studies have shown that our attention span is getting lesser and lesser every single day.
Today, our attention span has come to a point where it is lesser than that of the GoldFish.
A particular study done in 2014, has shown that our attention span has gone down to 8 seconds, whereas it was around 12 seconds before all the tech invasion and innovation.
So, now you can understand why I said that it is likely that "you" or rather "we" are not going to finish a piece of writing.
This has been deep in our brains and thus we can't run from it.
Very few got that kind of control and focus, which will help them sit through a whole 800-word article.
2) You have Zero Obligations
It has always been shown that when people know that they are being watched or judged by other people, then they tend to do things better.
You don't even need extensive studies to find the truthfulness of this phenomenon.
Take one simple example, try and remember how you tend to do a lot better work when you know that your colleagues will judge you on that piece of work.
Alternatively, think about those days, when you promised your Gym buddy that you would go to the gym and you really did. And on those days, when you had zero accountability, you probably just skipped.
So, accountability changes your behavior.
However, over the internet, it is actually like "who knows and who cares".
No one is watching you (not talking about things related to "DATA"), so who cares if you got started with an article and read just two lines. Who cares if you almost always get distracted while reading and don't get to finish what you started.
No one is, right?
This gives you the freedom to do anything since there is no accountability. So you just skipped.
3) You have too many options and too little time
I wrote about this concept. It is like a mixture of Analysis Paralysis and Fear of Missing Out.
The internet gave you so many options, that your brain just stopped processing.
We were never used to so many options.
And that's when FOMO kicks in!
You have got limited time, and limited resources and you want to read something.
Now, you will always try to utilize this time most effectively.
Thus, you must find out the best possible article (or any piece of content) that's out there and start reading it.
However, how do you know which one is the best?
Simply, you can't, and thus every time you start to read something, your brain says, "Leave it, I think there is a better article out there, with way more information".
And you being an obedient child to your brain, agree to this.
Thus leaving the one that you have started.
Isn't this what happens.
Remember when you have started a YouTube video and somewhere in between you saw an attractive Thumbnail and a better Title on the suggested feed!
Snap, you are out. You are onto the next one, hoping that the next one will be better. And the cycle goes on.
All these factors stop us from finishing what we start!
This is not a very good habit since this creeps into our other work too. This can cause damage to your personal growth and career.
I suggest, trying to be mindful and also, try to start only things you believe you can finish.
This is not always the right approach because sometimes it is actually good to leave a thing that is not worth your time. But the point is to be "Mindful" of these facts.
That’s the whole idea.
As always, thanks a lot for spending your time with my piece of work. And I am very grateful for all your support.