Have you heard about second-screen syndrome yet? I must admit the term is new to me, but the concept is not. Hell, no. You see, for some time I have been sucked into said syndrome without being aware of it. And I feel stupid for being so, well, stupid.
Catch me watching TV and relaxing on any given night and you will notice I am not doing much of either, constantly distracted by flashing lights, beeps, rings and dopamine hits coming at me from all angles. It’s akin to being in a pinball machine with a hyperactive kid on the flippers.
While a movie plays, I am also playing on my phone, addicted to a game I just can’t quit, zapping coloured bubbles until my thumbs ache. Because the game means my phone screen is busy, I will often drag out my laptop to receive emails or texts (OK, scroll Insta) as well.
And lately, when my friend comes over, this “relaxing” scenario is compounded by his phone and, worst of all, his smartwatch. That bloody thing beeps every time he is supposed to be sleeping, exercising, eating, learning French or making his move on internet Scrabble. Even for me, it is one screen too many. This attention acrobatics is madness.
But it is also my life as I have known it for near on a decade, during which I have been offered more distraction, more information and more entertainment in every waking moment (and even then, I swear I play that bloody bubble game in my dreams). And I am sure many of you are feeling my pain. In fact, I know you are. You see, we double-screeners are the majority.
Global data analysts YouGov found a majority of respondents across 17 markets (16 countries, plus Hong Kong) said they look at their mobile devices while watching TV “very or fairly” often. India led the way with 60 per cent, Australia was third on 57 per cent, with the Americans and Brits close behind on 55 per cent. That’s a lot of people paying little attention to many things.
As a result, it is being reported that streaming services such as Netflix have been developing programs specifically as “second screen shows”, catering to audiences who are looking at two devices simultaneously. Executives now explain to writers that their work will likely be watched as a secondary screen, or during a toilet break or bus ride, and so repeated dialogue prompts will be required to reinforce the plot.
In other words, shows are now being made that are so simplistic there is no need to concentrate or engage. Yes, that sound you hear is likely Martin Scorsese weeping.
The irony in double screening is that we fool ourselves into thinking we are maximising every moment – learning while playing; watching while scrolling. But in doing so, we are grabbing fragments and not the full story, skimming surfaces instead of diving in. We are taking in lots of information but little is being absorbed. It’s just brain-fog fodder.
Recently, I complained to my GP that I am finding it almost impossible to concentrate these days, and it is stopping me doing what I normally love – reading and writing. I explained that I can force out a sentence but will make two cups of tea and put on a load of washing before completing a paragraph. Focusing is a skill I no longer have, my creativity confined to bursts, not bouts. It’s as if the constant bombardment of information is dumbing me down. It’s all white noise and no music.
So I’ve decided to retrain my brain by only concentrating on one task at a time to remind myself to be in the moment. I shall no longer walk the dog while listening to a podcast because her smile, sunshine and strolling are more than enough. I will turn off my phone when watching TV and vice versa. I will read an article to the end, not race to the next headline. And I will focus on the friend I am with and not the ones I barely know on Insta.
I realise I need to I savour every moment instead of stuffing it with stimuli. It’s time to give my brain a break before the poor bugger bursts.
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