The Night Watch by Rembrandt Van Rijn is a painting known for its large size and protective varnish, but that is not the most interesting thing about it. Crowds of people gather each day to view this captivating work of art. In 2019, an experiment was done to see how long museum visitors actually look at this piece. Knowing that the average attention span of an individual was 47 seconds, researchers aimed to combat that. They put up a restoration of the painting and asked the visitors what questions they wanted answered about it, due to the multilayered, complex picture painted. What researchers noticed is that as the visitors started analytically thinking about the portrait, the time they spent viewing the painting increased to 24 minutes.Â
In society today, we have noticed our attention spans shrinking significantly. A study done by the National Library of Medicine found that young adults average 76.24 seconds of deep focus (Simon, 2023). Rapid advancements in technology are mostly to blame. With answers constantly at our fingertips, we lose our mental capacity to struggle and think critically through challenges. Social media has also granted us this ability to quickly shift through different outlets of entertainment.Â
As we continue to advance, we continue to normalize the idea that faster is better. In restaurants, we expect quick service; on roads, we expect fast routes; and throughout our youth, there is an emphasis on the hurry to grow up, but one of the most widespread examples is seen through schools. The education system, acknowledging the rapid growth in technology, has stuffed excessive information into the curriculum, forcing students to learn at abnormally fast paces. This has led to the prioritization of completion over reflection. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development found that between 2015 and 2025, the average reading score has declined by 28 points, which is about one and a half years of schooling (OECD, 2026). As we favor quickly skimming texts for specific information, rather than truly learning from it, we lose not only that knowledge but the ability to retain it.Â
When individuals try to incorporate slowness into their daily routines, it can make them feel behind and stressed. The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine reported that 43% of American adults state that stress and anxiety have contributed to their short attention spans (OSU, 2025). Many feel that to reach what Americans today have defined as “success.”, you must adapt to this fast-paced way of living. This comes with less self-reflection, an overstimulated nervous system, and weaker connections with those around you. This constant state of go puts your body into an unhealthy, prolonged “fight-or-flight” response and can lead to serious health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, depression, severe digestive issues, and many others.
Our nervous system is regulated by the patient, slow moments. So how do we embrace the little persistencies in a society that focuses so heavily on the new? First, we start by removing the idea that you need to be at the same level or doing the same thing as others, which can be hard. It is easy to get sucked into societal values because it is everywhere around you, but when we pause and remove ourselves from the crowded, simultaneous ways of thinking, it allows us to reflect within and learn about ourselves.Â
The normalization of “I can do this,” rather than “I should,” plays a large role in the creation of stress on young adults. They are stuck overfilling their plates, prioritizing accomplishment over healthy essential habits, like sleeping and eating, which leads to a high prevalence of mental issues. The constant feeling of needing to keep up drags them further behind, and while they may look successful at the forefront, our bodies can only take so much before they crash.Â
I am not saying don’t be ambitious. Being successful is an important goal to work towards. What I am saying is that you shouldn’t let success be defined by anyone but you. Stay disciplined and work hard, but learn your limits. Allow yourself a chance to breathe. Go on a walk, journal, set your alarm early enough so you don’t have to rush, get enough sleep, eat without devices. The more you practice patience, the easier it becomes. Embrace the slowness of life, because if you don’t, you’re going to miss the most important parts of it: finding yourself.Â
References
How to refocus in the age of distraction. (n.d.). Osu.edu. Retrieved September 13, 2026, from https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/mediaroom/pressreleaselisting/how-to-refocus-in-the-age-of-distraction
Simon, A. J., Gallen, C. L., Ziegler, D. A., Mishra, J., Marco, E. J., Anguera, J. A., & Gazzaley, A. (2023). Quantifying attention span across the lifespan. Frontiers in Cognition, 2, 1207428. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcogn.2023.1207428
(N.d.). Oecd.org. Retrieved September 13, 2026, from https://www.oecd.org/en/about/news/press-releases/2026/09/pisa-2025-students-reading-and-mathematics-performance-declined-sharply-across-the-oecd.html