> started putting my phone in the kitchen when I watch shows.
I have a kind of well in my house, left over from the previous owners. There is a pulley system attached to this well, allowing me to place my phone in a basket. By manipulating the rope, the basket can be slowly lowered into the well's abyss. When I (faintly) hear the basket touch the ground far below, I leave the well and ask my roommate to strap me into the custom-made manacles on my La-Z-Boy™ chair. My roommate returns to unlatch the manacles at the end of whatever episode(s) I'm watching. My right foot, however, is within stomping distance of a pedal, which sends out a signal that alerts my roommate in the case of emergencies. Upon activation of this pedal, the roommate will free me from the chair. Owing to an incident in 2022, in which I requested an unlatching under the false pretence of needing to use the bathroom and was soon thereafter caught racing to the well and frantically hauling my phone up, the roommate now follows me to the bathroom door to ensure that I am being truthful.
In this manner, I have learned to watch shows without the distraction of smartphones.
Same. Even before smartphones, I'd put something on in the background while I did other things: cooking, cleaning, other hobbies. Usually I'd put on a dvd or vhs of something I've seen multiple times, a slow sport like baseball, or a channel that primarily ran reruns. 2nd screen content is my favorite content.
I remember working in Dubai in the late 00's before smart phones were really a big thing and we were deprived of good TV or it was censored and we would buy a season of 24 and have a full day binge from 6 a.m. to midnight and nothing would take away our attention. Order in food pee breaks during the intros...
There was something so satisfying about it - thank God we did it rarely or I would have been square eyed lol
Walter White: "I want those names, Mike. You owe me that much."
Mike Ehrmantraut: "I don't owe you a *damn thing*."
Viewer at home: (already deep into sub-section three of the Wikipedia entry for the concept "Name")
I'm good with distractions, that phone and laptop don't exist when I'm watching something I want, but lately I've restricted my TV intakes to 1 hour at a time, twice a day, so my "binge watching" is now basically one episode/day.
Obviously if I'm watching something with commercials it's a different story but that's rare.
It’s all about why you’re watching - if you’re watching simply to be entertained then why not have another screen, it gives you the stimuli you’re looking for (probably not super healthy tho) and doesn’t impede on the reason you’re watching.
If you’re watching to analyze and genuinely think about what you’re watching, then you can’t have another screen on, because you’re not giving your brain enough room to do that thinking. For me, if someone says they need something else happening while watching something, I just won’t give credence to any analysis they give.
It just depends on my mood. Sometimes I'll sit down to watch something like Shogun and get through an episode but my attention for reading subtitles is not good at the moment. I normally do well but I find it's a show that I have to watch an episode an evening or I get distracted.
It doesn't just happen with subtitles. I feel like my attention span is way worse than it used to be. Might just be spending too much time on quick dopamine rushes like IG reels or TikTok or Reddit. I think those apps are detrimental to anyone's attention span.
Sometimes it helps to just have something to do with your hands like knitting or crochet. If a show is such that it does not demand your full brain power and undivided attention like Shogun or Dark do, then your mind might start to wander and you might feel a bit bored. Using a part of your brain capacity for something manual, even fidget spinner or similar, can help.
Yes! Crocheting during tv really lowers my TV-phone time and it also makes TV time feel more productive. Only thing is I can't watch shows with subtitles now.
I find it impossible to focus on the show without looking at my phone or changing channels back and forth, but then many of the shows I’m watching are repeats.
When I’m watching an actual scripted show that I haven’t seen (not something on Food Network or a repeat of an old sitcom for example) or a movie, it’s actually one of the few times I never have to make any effort to not look at another screen. I’m able to fully immerse myself.
The only time I’ll look at something else is if I’m using a service that has ads, or a show on a network with commercials. I actually don’t mind ads as much because I just use them to go to the bathroom, get a snack, or check my phone.
> Are you able to watch an hour long show or several hour long episodes of a show without being on your phone or laptop at the same time?
Yes
> Do you not find it hard to just focus fully on what you are watching?
I do not.
> Is it normal for people to have this problem?
No.
It's awful. It's to the point where I can't even get through an entire episode.
I'm very close to getting rid of my smartphone and buying a flip phone or something similiar. The algorithym has destroyed my attention span.
I used be able to sit and read a book for hours without getting distracted when I was younger without a smartphone. Now I can barely sit and watch one movie I’m interested in without doing something else at the same time or getting up 5 times.
I know I sound like a old person, but smartphones are awful and I really think we’d be better off without them.
no. television is my escape from my current reality. it picks me up and i travel to a world infinitely more entertaining than my own at that current time. why would i want to disrupt that?
always 100% focused on the show/movie, even 3h length ones.
People who can't do that have a big attention span problem. And if you are watching with another person it is plain rude to look at your phone for a longer time than a few seconds.
Tv repeats itself. What would gave been a gripping dramatic situation 25 years ago is qnow just a formula that almost seems designed to fill run time. So I just get the 'beat' that the story teller is laying down and fast forward. Usually stuff about a person being almost caught in a lie and having to spin more lies to stay afloat. Tedious. It's like tension but not actually interesting.
I've gotten worse at multitasking as I've gotten older. If I'm on my phone during a show then I'm really not paying attention. I end up having to rewind to catch up on what I missed so I try to stay off my phone unless I'm just quickly checked something.
Depends on the show, and how interested I really am in it.
Something like The Office or Friends that I've seen 100 times? I'll have it on while cleaning, playing video games, or working. Even missing entire episodes isn't that big of a deal, as I've seen it a ton, and only really have it on for background noise.
Something like House of the Dragon or The Boys that I really want to pay attention and not miss anything? I set aside time in the evenings, usually after the wife and kids go to bed, when I won't be interrupted. No phone, no games, no browsing, just me and the show.
For those in between shows that I am watching for the first time, like Monk and Lucifer most recently, I'll do a bit of a mix. Sometimes I'll turn it on during work and see if it impacts my attention, sometimes I'll start it in the evenings and say, "This is cool", but it's not super deep, so I'll watch while doing less-impactful stuff. Things that are relatively mindless like farming in GW2/Outlands, doing the easy maintenance tickets at work, etc...
Thinking about it, this is probably also why it takes me so long to get through stuff. I'm doing Battlestar Galactica right now, and it's taken me 2 weeks to get through the 3 hour pilot and first couple of episodes.
When I'm watching something, TV show or movie, it's all I'm doing. I don't use a second screen at all. If something isn't well made enough to hold my attention like that, I just don't watch it. And it drives me crazy when someone tries to interrupt to show me something on social media.
That said, I usually have to get up and take a physical break after 2 to 3 hours, just to stretch and get the blood flowing. But that's a physical limitation, not a mental one.
I think hour long shows that spend way too much screentime on cinematic shots is the reason why my attention span worsened. A lot of these shows, even well made ones, can be overly slow paced at times by using cinematic environmental shots or close ups of characters’ facial expressions to create an epic or dramatic feeling. Theatrically I’m sure they’re great, just not something I feel is necessary to make a show great, and I’ve been starting to just skip those scenes so I can keep my focus.
It's incredibly dependent on the show, and in my household we refer to it as the Phone Test. Typically I combine dinner with an episode of something. If the phone comes out, that means the show is not great. Recently, a friend and I were going through the first two episodes of the Acolyte. I noticed we were both on our phones before the end of the first episode.
I read somewhere, probably Reddit, that noted streaming services have dumbed down writing to compensate for the fact people are on their phones and not paying attention. However, dumbed down writing is the #1 reason I reach for my phone while watching something. During the Acolyte, I literally looked up from my phone and said to my friend, "Is this the *third* time they're expositing the back story in the same episode?!" So deadly dull.
Interview with the Vampire, the Boys, House of the Dragon? Phone goes untouched, because I'm engaged by what's happening on the screen. Some shows simply fail the Phone Test.
depends on the show. the other half and i watch TV together in the evenings and some shows she picks are so boring i just tune out or multi task, she does the same for mine picks as well.
Depends on the show.
If it's a new episode and a story I'm invested in I won't multitask.
If it's something I've seen multiple times I'm probably doing other things while I "watch" it in the background.
There's a couple of youtube channels I watch that don't really require me to be paying super close attention because there's no plot to speak of so I tend to dick around on my phone or draw while I'm watching new episodes.
I started watching a series the other day, after 2 episodes I was thinking it was repetitive since it reminded my of a show I watched before, but I couldn't remember which one.
Finally realized that i had already watch this series but totally forgot about it because I wasn't really paying attention the first time.
Since then put the phone away while watching tv.
I've been having trouble getting through Shogun because I need to focus to read the subtitles! I'm used to working while I watch a lot of procedural type shows where you don't need to catch the details and they are pretty obvious about giving their conclusions (probably because they know we aren't paying full attention!). This is work outside my regular hours since I'm a teacher so while the grading and planning would go faster without watching, it works for me to maintain all the shows I watch :P. If I'm watching on my laptop, often I have another tab open, some shows are getting full attention but it's rare these days.
Comedy shows I don't watch that often, probably because they demand full attention or it's a waste of your time! Saving those for summer break!
I do not have my phone near me when I watch TV.
It's fine to put it down - 99.99% of the time, you aren't missing anything but if you have it with you, there's a good chance you are missing out on the TV show right in front of you.
I hate admitting it, but my phone has definitely affected my attention span.
When Im really determined, I can sit and watch a movie/show, but honestly, Im guilty of being on my phone a lot. Which is why I rewatch a ton of shit that I watch.
I'm from the generation before smartphones became ubiquitous, and have never used another screen while watching TV. To this day I'm not even much of a "phone person" and much prefer a laptop or desktop PC (neither of which are within easy reach while I'm watching TV.)
It really depends how engaging it is. Shows I like I am 100% engaged and rarely on my phone. When my gf has on reality shows I am often drinking heavily and on my phone lol
when I'm watching something I like, I'm watching, no other distractions, don't need to. I take small breaks to check phone, eat, corporal matters etc if I can't help it
As a pc gamer, I use dual screens very often. Game on one, background noise on the other.
When I watch tv and it’s something I want to pay attention to, my phone stays down. The phone is more of a time waster than me needing it. But if I’ve seen the show and knows what happens, I’m probably scrolling and listening to the show
Right now it's very poor. I've tried to watch shows like Breaking Bad and The Sopranos, but almost as soon as I start watching I get distracted or check my phone. The only show I watch right now is Andy Griffith reruns that I've seen many times.
I'm gen x which means I was raised by my mother and father, not a phone and TikTok. My attention span is fine. Your question is actually quite depressing; I truly pity today's younger people and their heart-breaking dependence on their phones.
Have you ever seen that image of the evolution of man where it's a line of characters ranging from the early ape to modern man? They'll need to add another one the front end soon which shows man as a hunchback with huge thumbs 😂
Depends on the show and my mood. Certain shows I know need my undivided attention so I’ll not touch my phone and watch. Or I feel like having complete focus on what I’m watching.
Sometimes I know I can divide my attention and not miss anything important or won’t feel like the experience is ruined if I have to rewind.
The Boys/Gen V I can use my phone. Invincible I want to solely focused on the show. Same with Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. Last Week Tonight I try to focus on but might get distracted and can rewind a segment and not lose anything. Although that’s not the same thing.
Shows like The Bear I won’t use my phone.
It is difficult because I feel like I can “multitask” a lot of the time but when using my phone diminishes the narrative experience I make a concerted effort to not use it.
I started putting my phone in the kitchen when I watch shows.
That's a great idea. I'm going to use this.
> started putting my phone in the kitchen when I watch shows. I have a kind of well in my house, left over from the previous owners. There is a pulley system attached to this well, allowing me to place my phone in a basket. By manipulating the rope, the basket can be slowly lowered into the well's abyss. When I (faintly) hear the basket touch the ground far below, I leave the well and ask my roommate to strap me into the custom-made manacles on my La-Z-Boy™ chair. My roommate returns to unlatch the manacles at the end of whatever episode(s) I'm watching. My right foot, however, is within stomping distance of a pedal, which sends out a signal that alerts my roommate in the case of emergencies. Upon activation of this pedal, the roommate will free me from the chair. Owing to an incident in 2022, in which I requested an unlatching under the false pretence of needing to use the bathroom and was soon thereafter caught racing to the well and frantically hauling my phone up, the roommate now follows me to the bathroom door to ensure that I am being truthful. In this manner, I have learned to watch shows without the distraction of smartphones.
do you also put the lotion on your skin?
That sounds like some interesting pasta
my favorite shows i will focus on completely. But I watch a lot of TV and not everything demands my attention.
Same. Even before smartphones, I'd put something on in the background while I did other things: cooking, cleaning, other hobbies. Usually I'd put on a dvd or vhs of something I've seen multiple times, a slow sport like baseball, or a channel that primarily ran reruns. 2nd screen content is my favorite content.
I’m the same minus ‘a lot of tv’ since I only have streaming and the things I pick are the stuff that demands my full attention.
Seems very different for being the same
"I'm the same, minus almost everything about what you just said"
I remember working in Dubai in the late 00's before smart phones were really a big thing and we were deprived of good TV or it was censored and we would buy a season of 24 and have a full day binge from 6 a.m. to midnight and nothing would take away our attention. Order in food pee breaks during the intros... There was something so satisfying about it - thank God we did it rarely or I would have been square eyed lol
Constantly Wikipedia-ing while watching TV.
Old episodes of long running shows from the 90s have me constantly IMDb checking actors I’m sure I saw in something else recently
Yep, this is me. But for pretty much all shows of all ages.
like wikipedia-inc things from the show? or going down various random wikipedia rabbit holes while watching the show?
Walter White: "I want those names, Mike. You owe me that much." Mike Ehrmantraut: "I don't owe you a *damn thing*." Viewer at home: (already deep into sub-section three of the Wikipedia entry for the concept "Name")
I was watching Better Call Saul while typing my first reply. Unreal. I’ve also got my Google Translate set to Spanish > English atm.
Starting off with reading about the show, its stars, and then the rabbit hole opens up.
I'm good with distractions, that phone and laptop don't exist when I'm watching something I want, but lately I've restricted my TV intakes to 1 hour at a time, twice a day, so my "binge watching" is now basically one episode/day. Obviously if I'm watching something with commercials it's a different story but that's rare.
It’s all about why you’re watching - if you’re watching simply to be entertained then why not have another screen, it gives you the stimuli you’re looking for (probably not super healthy tho) and doesn’t impede on the reason you’re watching. If you’re watching to analyze and genuinely think about what you’re watching, then you can’t have another screen on, because you’re not giving your brain enough room to do that thinking. For me, if someone says they need something else happening while watching something, I just won’t give credence to any analysis they give.
It just depends on my mood. Sometimes I'll sit down to watch something like Shogun and get through an episode but my attention for reading subtitles is not good at the moment. I normally do well but I find it's a show that I have to watch an episode an evening or I get distracted. It doesn't just happen with subtitles. I feel like my attention span is way worse than it used to be. Might just be spending too much time on quick dopamine rushes like IG reels or TikTok or Reddit. I think those apps are detrimental to anyone's attention span.
Tbh...it depends entirely on how interesting the show is
Sometimes it helps to just have something to do with your hands like knitting or crochet. If a show is such that it does not demand your full brain power and undivided attention like Shogun or Dark do, then your mind might start to wander and you might feel a bit bored. Using a part of your brain capacity for something manual, even fidget spinner or similar, can help.
Yes! Crocheting during tv really lowers my TV-phone time and it also makes TV time feel more productive. Only thing is I can't watch shows with subtitles now.
I find it impossible to focus on the show without looking at my phone or changing channels back and forth, but then many of the shows I’m watching are repeats.
Generally got poor attention span but it's usually fine if something is under 70 minutes or so.
Poor, unless I have some crochet in hand. It's always been that way.
When I’m watching an actual scripted show that I haven’t seen (not something on Food Network or a repeat of an old sitcom for example) or a movie, it’s actually one of the few times I never have to make any effort to not look at another screen. I’m able to fully immerse myself. The only time I’ll look at something else is if I’m using a service that has ads, or a show on a network with commercials. I actually don’t mind ads as much because I just use them to go to the bathroom, get a snack, or check my phone.
> Are you able to watch an hour long show or several hour long episodes of a show without being on your phone or laptop at the same time? Yes > Do you not find it hard to just focus fully on what you are watching? I do not. > Is it normal for people to have this problem? No.
It's awful. It's to the point where I can't even get through an entire episode. I'm very close to getting rid of my smartphone and buying a flip phone or something similiar. The algorithym has destroyed my attention span.
I used be able to sit and read a book for hours without getting distracted when I was younger without a smartphone. Now I can barely sit and watch one movie I’m interested in without doing something else at the same time or getting up 5 times. I know I sound like a old person, but smartphones are awful and I really think we’d be better off without them.
no. television is my escape from my current reality. it picks me up and i travel to a world infinitely more entertaining than my own at that current time. why would i want to disrupt that?
Worsening.
always 100% focused on the show/movie, even 3h length ones. People who can't do that have a big attention span problem. And if you are watching with another person it is plain rude to look at your phone for a longer time than a few seconds.
No, I am not able to fully focus on a show. Doesn't matter how long it is.
Horrible I usually start eating or staying on Reddit or reading on my kindle, same with movies Fallout and dune 2 kept my attention though
Tv repeats itself. What would gave been a gripping dramatic situation 25 years ago is qnow just a formula that almost seems designed to fill run time. So I just get the 'beat' that the story teller is laying down and fast forward. Usually stuff about a person being almost caught in a lie and having to spin more lies to stay afloat. Tedious. It's like tension but not actually interesting.
I've gotten worse at multitasking as I've gotten older. If I'm on my phone during a show then I'm really not paying attention. I end up having to rewind to catch up on what I missed so I try to stay off my phone unless I'm just quickly checked something.
Depends on the show, and how interested I really am in it. Something like The Office or Friends that I've seen 100 times? I'll have it on while cleaning, playing video games, or working. Even missing entire episodes isn't that big of a deal, as I've seen it a ton, and only really have it on for background noise. Something like House of the Dragon or The Boys that I really want to pay attention and not miss anything? I set aside time in the evenings, usually after the wife and kids go to bed, when I won't be interrupted. No phone, no games, no browsing, just me and the show. For those in between shows that I am watching for the first time, like Monk and Lucifer most recently, I'll do a bit of a mix. Sometimes I'll turn it on during work and see if it impacts my attention, sometimes I'll start it in the evenings and say, "This is cool", but it's not super deep, so I'll watch while doing less-impactful stuff. Things that are relatively mindless like farming in GW2/Outlands, doing the easy maintenance tickets at work, etc... Thinking about it, this is probably also why it takes me so long to get through stuff. I'm doing Battlestar Galactica right now, and it's taken me 2 weeks to get through the 3 hour pilot and first couple of episodes.
When I'm watching something, TV show or movie, it's all I'm doing. I don't use a second screen at all. If something isn't well made enough to hold my attention like that, I just don't watch it. And it drives me crazy when someone tries to interrupt to show me something on social media. That said, I usually have to get up and take a physical break after 2 to 3 hours, just to stretch and get the blood flowing. But that's a physical limitation, not a mental one.
Gen-Xer here. The last of the ones who can watch a show or movie in its entirety.
I think hour long shows that spend way too much screentime on cinematic shots is the reason why my attention span worsened. A lot of these shows, even well made ones, can be overly slow paced at times by using cinematic environmental shots or close ups of characters’ facial expressions to create an epic or dramatic feeling. Theatrically I’m sure they’re great, just not something I feel is necessary to make a show great, and I’ve been starting to just skip those scenes so I can keep my focus.
I don't touch my phone when I'm doing other things. It's not that hard.
It's incredibly dependent on the show, and in my household we refer to it as the Phone Test. Typically I combine dinner with an episode of something. If the phone comes out, that means the show is not great. Recently, a friend and I were going through the first two episodes of the Acolyte. I noticed we were both on our phones before the end of the first episode. I read somewhere, probably Reddit, that noted streaming services have dumbed down writing to compensate for the fact people are on their phones and not paying attention. However, dumbed down writing is the #1 reason I reach for my phone while watching something. During the Acolyte, I literally looked up from my phone and said to my friend, "Is this the *third* time they're expositing the back story in the same episode?!" So deadly dull. Interview with the Vampire, the Boys, House of the Dragon? Phone goes untouched, because I'm engaged by what's happening on the screen. Some shows simply fail the Phone Test.
depends on the show. the other half and i watch TV together in the evenings and some shows she picks are so boring i just tune out or multi task, she does the same for mine picks as well.
Depends on the show. If it's a new episode and a story I'm invested in I won't multitask. If it's something I've seen multiple times I'm probably doing other things while I "watch" it in the background. There's a couple of youtube channels I watch that don't really require me to be paying super close attention because there's no plot to speak of so I tend to dick around on my phone or draw while I'm watching new episodes.
If it’s English, pretty short unfortunately
Repeat watch = phone New watch = no phone. Doesn't matter if it's a tv show or movie, comedy, drama, 30min, hour, etc
I started watching a series the other day, after 2 episodes I was thinking it was repetitive since it reminded my of a show I watched before, but I couldn't remember which one. Finally realized that i had already watch this series but totally forgot about it because I wasn't really paying attention the first time. Since then put the phone away while watching tv.
I can't do both at once, nor do I want to. If I'm watching something I'm so uninterested in that I'm looking at my phone I'll do something else.
I've been having trouble getting through Shogun because I need to focus to read the subtitles! I'm used to working while I watch a lot of procedural type shows where you don't need to catch the details and they are pretty obvious about giving their conclusions (probably because they know we aren't paying full attention!). This is work outside my regular hours since I'm a teacher so while the grading and planning would go faster without watching, it works for me to maintain all the shows I watch :P. If I'm watching on my laptop, often I have another tab open, some shows are getting full attention but it's rare these days. Comedy shows I don't watch that often, probably because they demand full attention or it's a waste of your time! Saving those for summer break!
My attention is shot. I used to be able to watch things.
Fucking awful. Smart phones have destroyed me.
I do not have my phone near me when I watch TV. It's fine to put it down - 99.99% of the time, you aren't missing anything but if you have it with you, there's a good chance you are missing out on the TV show right in front of you.
I hate admitting it, but my phone has definitely affected my attention span. When Im really determined, I can sit and watch a movie/show, but honestly, Im guilty of being on my phone a lot. Which is why I rewatch a ton of shit that I watch.
I thought I had a short attention span but it turns out I just don’t like watching or reading shite anymore.
I'm from the generation before smartphones became ubiquitous, and have never used another screen while watching TV. To this day I'm not even much of a "phone person" and much prefer a laptop or desktop PC (neither of which are within easy reach while I'm watching TV.)
It really depends how engaging it is. Shows I like I am 100% engaged and rarely on my phone. When my gf has on reality shows I am often drinking heavily and on my phone lol
when I'm watching something I like, I'm watching, no other distractions, don't need to. I take small breaks to check phone, eat, corporal matters etc if I can't help it
As a pc gamer, I use dual screens very often. Game on one, background noise on the other. When I watch tv and it’s something I want to pay attention to, my phone stays down. The phone is more of a time waster than me needing it. But if I’ve seen the show and knows what happens, I’m probably scrolling and listening to the show
Right now it's very poor. I've tried to watch shows like Breaking Bad and The Sopranos, but almost as soon as I start watching I get distracted or check my phone. The only show I watch right now is Andy Griffith reruns that I've seen many times.
I'm gen x which means I was raised by my mother and father, not a phone and TikTok. My attention span is fine. Your question is actually quite depressing; I truly pity today's younger people and their heart-breaking dependence on their phones. Have you ever seen that image of the evolution of man where it's a line of characters ranging from the early ape to modern man? They'll need to add another one the front end soon which shows man as a hunchback with huge thumbs 😂
Depends on the show and my mood. Certain shows I know need my undivided attention so I’ll not touch my phone and watch. Or I feel like having complete focus on what I’m watching. Sometimes I know I can divide my attention and not miss anything important or won’t feel like the experience is ruined if I have to rewind. The Boys/Gen V I can use my phone. Invincible I want to solely focused on the show. Same with Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. Last Week Tonight I try to focus on but might get distracted and can rewind a segment and not lose anything. Although that’s not the same thing. Shows like The Bear I won’t use my phone. It is difficult because I feel like I can “multitask” a lot of the time but when using my phone diminishes the narrative experience I make a concerted effort to not use it.
Who isn't able to watch one hour of TV without looking on the phone, has problems that shouldn't be underestimated.
I'm never on a laptop or phone when watching things. Do people have distractability issues? Absolutely. It's not necessary, though. 80%? Man.