Do you find yourself switching between apps, conversations, or thoughts every few seconds?

You’re not imagining it—your brain might actually be struggling to keep up.  According to Prof. Nand Kumar, senior psychiatrist at the Department of Psychiatry, AIIMS New Delhi, the average attention span of people in India has shrunk dramatically—to just nine seconds. That’s a sharp fall from what used to be 20 to 30 minutes just a decade ago. 

“Nine seconds is too short to process anything deeply. It means our concentration is collapsing almost as soon as it begins,” said Prof. Kumar, pointing to findings from multiple research studies. “And when your focus breaks that quickly, it becomes very difficult to complete tasks effectively.”  So, what’s causing this?  Prof. Kumar believes that today’s hyper-digital lifestyle is largely to blame.

“We’re constantly in alert mode—worried, stressed, and trying to do too many things at once,” he explained.

“We multitask, assuming it makes us more efficient. We scroll social media while watching TV or checking emails during meetings. But all of this is harming our brain’s ability to stay focused.” 

He added that the overuse of screens—often two at a time—has made us feel like we're accomplishing more, but in reality, the quality of our work has gone down. Plus, we're losing out on real-world, face-to-face human connection, which also affects mental well-being.

  So, how do we fix it?  Prof. Kumar offers some simple but powerful advice. “We need to step out of this constant state of urgency. Stop multitasking. Start practicing deep breathing exercises, spend more time in physical activity, and focus on improving our body's autonomic nervous system—the system that helps keep us calm and balanced.”  He explained that calming our nervous system, especially the sympathetic tone (which keeps us in a ‘fight-or-flight’ state), can significantly improve our concentration and mental clarity. 

In a world where everything demands our attention all at once, Prof. Kumar’s advice is a reminder that slowing down is not a weakness—it’s a necessity. So the next time you feel distracted or overwhelmed, try taking a moment to breathe, stretch, and just do one thing at a time.  Your mind might finally get the break it’s been begging for.