In an era marked by the rise of short-form social media, short attention spans are becoming more of a problem.
Older forms of social media, like Vine or Musically, contribute to this, but TikTok arguably drives this phenomenon the most. With an endless sea of short videos, it’s easy for hours to slip by. Your feed is curated specifically to keep you trapped in a loop, scrolling for as long as possible. Many studies have shown that the app’s interface shares fundamental similarities with slot machines, and lights up the part of the brain associated with gambling. This constant feed of instant–constant–gratification makes it difficult to tear yourself away and do other tasks that may give you a little less dopamine but are rewarding in the long term.
When our brains are constantly being fed these hits, it inevitably impairs it, and hinders our ability to focus. We’re essentially training our brains to move on to something else if we don’t get the happy chemical we crave after only a few short seconds. It’s no wonder that attention span is on the decline. Especially among the younger generations who are a majority of TikTok’s user base.
Before we get any further, let me clarify: I’m not here to get up on my high horse and preach about the dangers of TikTok and wave my finger at you for suffering from a short attention span. I’m just as guilty of this as anyone else. After a long day, I get in bed and open TikTok, and before I know it, 2am hits.
This problem started affecting my life, my schoolwork, my career, and my hobbies. I couldn’t get through a full episode of a TV show without picking up my phone. I couldn’t sit down and read for 30 minutes without getting antsy. Writing was something else entirely. I could get out a sentence or two at a time, but that was about it. I noticed that I was starting to lose the skills that I had built over the years, and I was alarmed by the rate at which I could feel my brain function declining at the young age of 21.
So, I went searching for a solution, and I ended up finding something that worked pretty well for me. I’ve been testing these methods since January 2nd. I wanted to share some of the things I’ve challenged myself to try in case there’s anyone else out there like me who wants to improve but doesn’t know where to start.
‘Brain Training’ Games
One of the good things about the rise of technology is that people can make improving brain function fun by building a game around it. This has been happening even long before the surge of short-form social media, back when parents all around the world were terrified that too much TV was rotting kids’ brains.
If you’re around my age and grew up in this era, you probably remember a few of these games. I remember getting the very first ever Nintendo DS as a kid and discovering that it already had two preinstalled games: Dr. Kawashima’s brain training for math and reading. Each game would provide a “daily brain training”, where you would play a game based on either math or reading. At the end of the game, the floating head of Dr. Kawashima would tell you your brain age based on your score.
I vividly remember being a kid, probably no older than ten, and being obsessed with these games. My determination to get the highest game score and the lowest brain age score possible may have been an early indicator of my perfectionist tendencies. However, in the end, it served me well by enriching my young mind.
This concern over short attention spans isn’t new. Ever since humans gained access to easier, low-effort forms of media and entertainment that demand less engagement and critical thinking, they’ve worried about the consequences for the brain. And in the name of nostalgia, my first method I will be talking about is a callback to my childhood–a brain training game.
Method 1: Elevate
The beauty of this method is that it’s simple, convenient, and only takes up a few minutes of your time each day.
I found this app while browsing the store for a new and stimulating game that wasn’t packed with ads. I remember passively thinking, “sure, I can give this a try”. That was January 2nd, 2025, and as of now, I have acquired a daily streak of over 100 days.
I love this app for a few reasons. First of all, it lets you choose your area of focus, which is really nice. As someone who hates math, the last thing I wanted to do was play a game about calculating percentages. I thankfully got to curate my daily games to focus on reading and writing skills.
I also love that the interface is simple, straightforward and visually appealing. And to top it all off, the app is completely free. While it does have a subscription plan, the basic functions of the app are still accessible for free users. The only things that free users are missing out on are an extra two games a day, free range to play any game from the home page, and additional statistics information.
This feels like a breath of fresh air compared to most other self-care or personal enrichment apps I’ve tried. They trick you with an introductory quiz, then block access to the actual features unless you pay.
I usually play my three daily games before I sit down and write, and I’ve noticed it improves my productivity. Sometimes when I try to dedicate time to writing, I find myself getting easily distracted and losing motivation. The three daily games help me warm up and get me primed to tackle my bigger projects. Even when I don’t write, the games help me keep up the stamina I need to get through my day. They’re a great way to keep my brain stimulated and working. It’s also been interesting to observe how I’ve improved my attention span since the beginning of the year. Plus, they’re pretty fun to play, too!
Method 2: Read
This one is a little less convenient and much more time-consuming, but it really is worth it.
In my opinion, reading is a really great way to simultaneously improve your attention span and provide yourself with entertainment. Researchers have proven that reading strengthens brain function and offers a whole slew of other benefits. For example, it has also been shown to reduce stress, enhance your creativity and imagination, improve your memory and vocabulary, better your mental health and communication skills and, most notably, has a significant positive impact on concentration and focus. Challenging yourself to consume a longer, more complex piece of media that requires you to actively engage with it to understand it can do wonders for the overall health of your brain and keep it from experiencing cognitive decline.
Because I work as a writing tutor, I usually have a good amount of free time between my appointments. Usually, I use that time to work on projects for the Writing Center I work for or to catch up on homework, but other times, I get to use that time to read. As a busy student in my early 20s, with what seems like a million responsibilities I have to worry about hanging over my head, it can be hard to find dedicated time I can use to just sit down and crack open a good book.
I’ve been able to find that time in between my appointments at work, but there are many other opportunities to brush up on your reading skills! If you’re a student like me, maybe that means going to the library in between classes and reading in the downtime. Or maybe, at the end of a long day, you could curl up in bed with a book and read until you feel tired enough to fall asleep. This is also a good way to limit screen time before bed!
In general, I would recommend that you try to dedicate at least 30 minutes to reading a book of your choice per day. It might sound tedious, or even bothersome. But you will be amazed at the positive effects it has on your brain! Reading more over the past year has made me a better writer and has also greatly improved my conversation skills.
Method 3: Practice Mindfulness
This might sound corny, but it really is effective.
I think that a lot of people nowadays are out of practice with being alone with their thoughts, living in the moment, and slowing down in a world of constant chatter and overstimulation. It makes sense that our attention spans are faltering when constant noise surrounds us, even in our own homes. There’s always something new to read. Something new to see. Something new to listen to, or something that we need to keep up with and learn about. I think a great way to get away from it all and retrain our brains to be able to focus is to first try focusing on the one thing we tend to neglect these days: ourselves.
Studies have shown that practising meditation, even for ten minutes a day, can have an astounding impact on the brain. It increases grey matter, which enables people to control memory, and it helps train you to be able to focus on a task without any interruptions for a good amount of time. It’s also been proven to boost both working and long-term memory, as well as reducing overall stress.
Being able to develop the skill to sit with yourself, quiet your thoughts, and reach a state of relaxation is a skill that is useful in almost all areas of adult life. It’s also especially effective in rebuilding your attention span. Taking a few minutes out of my day to breathe, process, and sit quietly has helped restore my focus. In addition, practising mindfulness has also vastly improved my mental health. Although a lot of people might roll their eyes when someone suggests mindfulness or meditation, there’s a reason why. It’s probably one of the most useful things I’ve ever incorporated into my daily routine.
The Takeaway
Although rebuilding your attention span and improving your brain function may seem like an exhausting and insurmountable task, I firmly believe that it’s worth every effort. I believe we can apply the same philosophy behind working out and eating healthy. It sucks in the moment, and it feels like you’ll never reach your goal. But take baby steps and build up gradually. You’ll be surprised how quickly you improve.
Keeping your brain active is an important part of maintaining your health. You need to start now before it’s too late. So I encourage you to start incorporating at least one of these methods into your routine today, even if it’s something small. Read a book for thirty minutes before you go to bed, play a short brain training game, or take 10 minutes out of your morning to meditate. I promise you’ll thank me later!
