Brain truth: Popcorn Brain is the result of constant scrolling.  The brain has become accustomed to constant stimulation, making slower activities such as reading, studying or listening feel less engaging. Popcorn brain results in a shorter attention span, fragmented short term memory and difficulty in settling. When the short term memory is fragmented you may notice:
 

• Forgetting instructions

• Rereading a paragraph

• Losing a train of thought
   

The working memory has to continually reset as you try to focus. Learning which takes sustained focus becomes more difficult.

 

David Levy (2011) researched in the fast-paced on-line world and spent years swiping.  He said his brain felt wired to expect constant novelty. Popcorn brain is not a formal medical condition rather Levy coined the term to describe what he felt like to think after months of on-line work.
When we have popcorn brain our executive functions (critical thinking, problem solving, planning, organisation) must continually override the stimulation habit, leading to greater cognitive load that requires prolonged concentration: 

 

Strategy:

1) Mix screen time use with time outdoors.
 

2) Limit the time in front of a screen. 
 

3) Seek slower activities such as board games, collecting something, reading and so on. Slower activities will also train your brain over time to be more settled.
 

4) When learning, organise 25 minutes of highly focused uninterrupted time, followed by a brain break.  This is called a Pomodoro (Cirillo, 2000). The brain break will refuel your brain after cognitive load. A brain break is anything that is joyful that does not involve new learning.
 

Story:  A university student named Tomas reported that after years of solo on-line work his brain prefers immediate reward and he found that delayed reward is less motivating. He has been on-line for at least five hours a day for five years. He now finds it more challenging to study as maths requires persistence, writing requires sustained effort, art requires focus and critical and higher order thinking requires pause and reflection. Tomas found that he was rereading text messages and emails because he would lose his train of thought and he felt he had became a poor listener.  As someone was talking to him, his mind would wander into his own thoughts. He decided that he needed to pursue off-line activities to rewire his brain such as fishing with friends and reading for pleasure.

 

Question:
1) Is screen time reducing the opportunity for you to play sports, getting out into the outdoors or connect with people face to face?