Attentional Record and Analysis

My attention log is reasonably reflective of my general attentional behaviour and habits. I have good intentions with regards to how and where I direct my attention, but I struggle with multitasking when a task isn’t stimulating or ‘holding’ my attention.

Citton characterizes good attentional health as “an aptitude for modulating your level of attention to the situation at hand” (Citton, 2017). In social settings, I adhere to this maxim naturally. Where I struggle is with my protection from uninvited distraction, or “vacuoles” as Citton describes them, a lack of which allows my attention to stray regardless of my current action.

My day begins with planned attention for purposes of entertainment. I knew a Starcraft 2 tournament would be on when I woke up, and intentionally pointed my attention towards it to begin the day. These tournaments are streamed live on the streaming platform Twitch, a blatant vehicle for attentional monopolization. This platform’s sole focus is to maximize viewing time for purposes of ad viewership and engagement, with thousands of channels incentivized to capture and maintain viewer attention (Pollack et al., 2020). I’m regularly multi-tasking with Twitch, utilizing it as background noise while engaging in tasks that don’t capture my attention. I perceive this as a bad habit, but according to De Castell and Jenson (2004), it is a strategy that can be deployed effectively and efficiently.

An involved task, such as the increasingly elaborate steps of my morning espresso routine, requires my full concentration. The actions are simple and meditative, and the olefactory-rich end-result is a strong motivator. It does occur to me that my caffeine routine is undertaken under the, perhaps mislead, pretense of increasing my mental energy and capacity in order to direct my attention more effectively for longer periods of time. Invariably, this is rarely the result, with coffee making becoming a routine distraction and its stimulating effects delivering little benefit. Though I have never been diagnosed with ADHD, I see parellels in my self-medicating and Citton’s description of the overdiagnosis of the disorder when he says “…we use chemistry to compel our children’s attention (as well as our own)…” (Citton, 2017, p. 17)

Coffee was followed by beginning coursework for the day. The Master of Educational Technology program’s online nature demands that the majority of the work be done using a computer. The computer is a vehicle for immense productivity, efficiency, and creativity. But it is also one conducive for leisure, entertainment, and perusal. This dual identity is one I’ve always struggled with, having my primary tool for attention-requiring tasks be the same tool that provides me with immediate access to the limitless potential of the internet. This dilemma is discussed at length in Dontre (2020), where academic distraction is framed against the background of technology integration in academics.

In my log, we can see the day unfold along the same theme as the morning, focused work interspersed by distraction. Based on my attention record, the primary culprit is my iPhone. As discussed, it delivers Twitch broadcasts, in addition to iMessage, Reddit, TikTok, etc. As such, analyzing iPhone’s built-in Screen Time analysis feature seems apt.

Here we see results consistent with the day’s log. Significant screentime in the morning, with waning bouts of usage throughout the day, leading into an evening of socializing.

I’m compelled to label this usage “distraction”, as it is non-productive time in which my attention is put on objects un-related to the object which I originally intended to focus on. That said, I’m hesitant to label all leisurely, aimless attentional time as “distraction” as this perpetuates the capitalist notion that non-productive time is devoid of value. What this distraciton does indicate, is that I am not strategic with my “attentional valorization” (Citton, 2017). This labelling also dangerously approaches the capitalist notions of “opportunity cost calculations” which Citton warns against. Just because I lent my attention to something non-productive does not necessarily mean that I lost out on a more lucrative return on my attention.

The attentional objects I divert to are primary vehicles for what Citton (2017) labels as the “alertness media regime”. I spend enough time on apps such as Reddit and TikTok to know surface-details of every major global event, american political development, benign subculture drama, internet meme, and piece of celebrity gossip. As De Castell and Jenson (2004) describe “a glut of information creates a poverty of intellectual engagement” (p. 388). Gifting my attention to these objects provides me with shallow engagement and ephemeral knowledge. I am not a better person for staying on top of the internet zeitgeist. It is a diversion of little benefit and clear consequence.

If, as Citton states, we direct attention which gives direction to what we become, then what does this log say about me (Citton, 2017)? I think I am someone who wrestles with my own attention when performing certain actions. I am vulnerable to the diversions of media and idols which contain little substance and less benefit in return.

What my log doesn’t demonstrate very well is the periods of attentional focus. Beyond making espresso, I focused much of my day on my family, my dog, driving, drinking, eating, conversing, and entertainment. It is challenging to conceptualize attention in terms of ecosophy over economics, but I believe the distinction is crucial in helping individuals eschew the demands of neo-liberal productivity and embrace a more balanced approach to attention and its value. This activity has given me opportunity to reflect on how I delegate and direct my attention, and has emphasized to me the importance of concious attentional placement, regardless of whether the object of said attention is of traditional value or one commonly labelled as a distraction.

References

Citton, Yves. (2017). The Ecology of Attention. Polity Press.

De Castell, S., & Jenson, J. (2004). Paying attention to attention: New economies for learning. Educational Theory, 54(4), 381–397. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0013-2004.2004.00026.x

Dontre, A. J. (2021). The influence of technology on academic distraction: A review. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, 3(3), 379–390. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbe2.229

Pollack, C. C., Kim, J., Emond, J. A., Brand, J., Gilbert-Diamond, D., & Masterson, T. D. (2020). Prevalence and strategies of energy drink, soda, processed snack, candy and restaurant product marketing on the online streaming platform Twitch. Public Health Nutrition, 23(15), 2793–2803. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980020002128