Although the results confirmed the suspicions that the information overflow is affecting our ability to focus on one task for long periods of time, the news isn't all bad, as it seems we're also training our brains to multitask more effectively.

From zen to multi-tabbing

When the dinner guest of zen master Thich Nhat Hanh offered to wash the dishes before enjoying some tea together, the master asked his guest if he truly knew how to wash the dishes. For, said the master, there are two ways of doing so: washing the dishes in order to enjoy a cup of tea later on, and washing the dishes in order to wash the dishes. If one washes the dishes the first way, then he also won't be able to enjoy the tea, as his mind will again be solely preoccupied with what comes next. But in the second way, even the simplest of tasks becomes enjoyable.

In the age of constant smartphone notifications, flashy ads and extreme multitasking, it seems that keeping a zen-like focus on a single task for extended periods of time is increasingly becoming an utopia. And because we know that our brains are remarkably flexible, adapting to our habits and environment, it's interesting to ask how people (heavy technology users in particular) are being affected by the digital age.