“Multitasking is the art of distracting yourself from two things you’d rather not be doing by doing them simultaneously.” – Eideteker

Whether it is texting while talking on the cell phone, surfing the internet, or tuning into their iPod while studying, the modern day teenager is a multitasking machine.

A recent study shows that the time spent embracing media by teenagers has increased significantly over the past few years.  Kids are now spending over 7-1/2 hours each day on computers, cell phones, watching TV or listening to music on their MP3 players.  Given the fact that much of this is often done while multitasking, the number is actually closer to 11 hours of equivalent content.

Over the past twenty years research has brought to light some interesting findings regarding how all of the digital distractions, also referred to as ‘technological chatter’, of our modern world are affecting our kid’s minds.  This research has clearly demonstrated that the brain, in particular the frontal lobes — the part of the brain considered our emotional control center, and is the part of the brain responsible for: controlling impulses and judgment; problem solving; socialization; long range planning; working memory; language production, and other duties – do not fully mature until the we reach our mid to late twenties.  So, in teens the brain is still developing, still constructing and integrating new pathways.  Another finding is that our brains reach 93 percent of their adult size by the time we reach the first grade.  Even though our brains do not ‘grow’ much after the age of six, we do continue to learn at an amazing pace.  It is not the shape or size of the various parts of the brain that are changing in any significant way, but rather the wiring, the connections and integration between the various structures in the brain, that is critical to normal brain development.

With all of the ever-present technology in our children’s lives, kid’s brains are constantly being inundated with information in a way that we have never seen before.  As our brains are indeed capable of adapting to an ever changing world, which means that our children, and the generations to follow, will indeed be more adept at taking in all of the new information available to them.  Whether or not there is a potential downside to this adaption is still being debated amongst the experts.  When you spend a tremendous amount of time multitasking, when the time comes to focus in on just one thing, are you going to be better or worse at doing so?  One group believes it is much like physical cross training whereby the kids get really good at handling an abundance of information and sorting through it all so that when the time comes to zero in, the brain can do so rather easily.  Others, however, believe you can only get good at what you practice.  If you want to be able to focus well, you need to practice focusing.  I believe the current generation, and many to follow, will in fact have it all.  They can develop the skills necessary to focus when they need to, but also become well versed in multitasking, which they will likely be required to do when they become adults and enter the work force, which is also changing and adapting to the ever-increasing information upload.

So, it has become necessary that children now consciously work at their ability to focus.  They can do so in many fun and enjoyable ways such a playing a musical instrument or participating in sports.  Some other ways to improve focus include: eliminate distractions; set a schedule; clear your head; do a repetitive physical task; get plenty of rest; and, create your own space to focus in.