Kenapa Kita Nggak Fokus Lagi? Tren “Attention Span Collapse” dan Cara Ngakalinnya

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Selamat Datang di Hajriah Fajar: Hidup Sehat & Cerdas di Era Digital

Gue tuh kadang ngerasa kayak otak gue ngambek. Baru buka laptop lima menit, eh tangan udah otomatis buka YouTube. Niatnya nyari referensi, yang ditonton malah kucing ngelawan printer. Terus buka tab baru buat kerja, tau-tau scroll Twitter, terus baca utas yang nggak ada hubungannya sama hidup gue. Udah gitu, lupa tadi mau ngapain.

Dan lucunya, gue nggak sendiri. Temen-temen gue juga begitu. Bahkan ada yang sampai bikin alarm tiap 15 menit cuma buat “balik ke realita.” Padahal bukan males. Otak kita tuh... kayak sinyal wifi—kadang nyambung, kadang ngilang pas butuh-butuhnya.

Kita hidup di era notifikasi berjamaah. Satu aplikasi bunyi, lima detik kemudian muncul pop-up dari yang lain. Attention span alias rentang fokus manusia sekarang, katanya, lebih pendek dari ikan mas. Gila nggak tuh? Tapi ya, masuk akal juga sih.

Jadi, Apa Itu “Attention Span Collapse”?

Secara sederhana (tanpa sok ilmiah), attention span collapse itu kayak pas kita lagi baca buku, tapi satu halaman bisa makan waktu setengah jam karena tiap dua menit buka HP. Bukan karena bukunya jelek, tapi karena otak kita keburu “diprogram” buat pengen hal yang cepat, instan, dan ganti-ganti terus.

Scroll TikTok lima menit, otak udah dapet stimulasi lebih banyak dari nonton film 2 jam. Ya gimana nggak kewalahan? Kayak makan cemilan terus, tapi pas dikasih makanan berat, perut udah keburu kenyang sama angin.

Hal ini bikin kita makin susah duduk tenang, ngerjain satu hal sampai kelar. Dan yang paling ngeselin: kadang kita nyalahin diri sendiri. Padahal sistemnya emang dirancang buat bikin kita kecanduan.

Curhat Dikit: Gue Pernah Nyoba “Digital Detox”

Gue pernah coba “detox digital.” Matikan HP 3 hari. Hari pertama: bingung, gelisah, tangan kayak mau ngecek saku terus. Hari kedua: mulai waras, tapi malah jadi ngerasa kesepian. Hari ketiga: pengen nulis surat ke Instagram, bilang, “Aku rindu kamu.”

Akhirnya gue sadar, mungkin bukan soal total detox. Tapi soal gimana caranya negosiasi sama dunia digital. Bukan musuhan, tapi bikin batasan yang sehat. Kayak mantan yang masih suka nyapa di chat: kita balas, tapi seperlunya.

Cara Ngakalinnya (Tanpa Harus Jadi Biksu atau Pindah ke Gunung)

1. Lakuin “Distraction Audit”

Coba catat selama 1 hari: apa aja yang bikin kamu ke-distract? Aplikasi mana? Jam berapa? Lagi ngapain? Biar bisa kelihatan polanya. Ini bukan buat nyalahin, tapi biar kenal “musuh”-nya.

2. Pasang Timer Absurd

Gue pasang timer 17 menit (karena 15 terlalu mainstream). Selama itu, cuma boleh ngerjain satu hal. Setelahnya? Bebas. Boleh nari TikTok atau rebahan. Tapi at least ada 17 menit yang fokus beneran.

3. Bikin “Zona Fokus” di HP

Pakai mode fokus atau aplikasi yang ngeblok sosmed selama jam kerja. Tapi kasih juga tombol “panic break” kalau emang perlu kabur sejenak. Kita bukan robot. Kadang butuh scroll meme biar waras.

4. Ubah Layout Layar

Taruh aplikasi penting di depan, sosmed di folder paling belakang dengan nama aneh, misalnya “Kuburan Fokus.” Biar pas mau buka tuh, kita mikir dua kali.

5. Mulai Hari Tanpa Layar

Satu jam pertama setelah bangun, jangan langsung buka HP. Minum air, ngopi, mandi, journaling, ngeliat langit. Apapun. Asal jangan langsung disedot layar.

Penutup: Kita Gagal Fokus, Tapi Bukan Gagal Hidup

Fokus itu bukan soal jadi sempurna. Bukan soal kerja 12 jam tanpa henti kayak karakter anime. Fokus itu soal nyari celah, kompromi, dan sadar kapan otak kita perlu rehat. Jadi kalau hari ini lo gagal fokus, ya nggak papa. Besok coba lagi, mungkin pake timer 17 menit itu. Atau minimal, buka laptop dan nggak langsung buka YouTube. Itu udah pencapaian.

Lo pernah ngalamin yang kayak gini juga? Cerita dong di kolom komentar. Siapa tau kita bisa saling tukar trik, atau minimal, saling ngeluh bareng 😅

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Welcome to Hajriah Fajar: Living Smart & Healthy in the Digital Age

Why Can't We Focus Anymore? The “Attention Span Collapse” and How to Outsmart It

Sometimes I feel like my brain’s ghosting me. I open my laptop, ready to work, and five minutes in—I’m watching a cat fight a printer. Then I open another tab to work, only to scroll Twitter and read some thread that has absolutely nothing to do with my life. Oh right, what was I doing again?

I know I’m not alone. My friends do this too. One even sets an alarm every 15 minutes just to “return to reality.” It’s not laziness—it’s like our brains are Wi-Fi signals. Strong one minute, gone the next.

We live in the age of nonstop notifications. One app pings, then another. They say goldfish have a longer attention span than us. Honestly? I believe it.

So What’s “Attention Span Collapse”?

Put simply (no boring definitions, I promise), it’s when reading one page of a book takes 30 minutes because every two minutes, your hand checks your phone. It’s not the book’s fault—it’s just that our brains are wired to crave fast, ever-changing stimuli.

Scroll TikTok for five minutes and you’ve absorbed more stimuli than a two-hour movie. It’s like snacking constantly—by the time real food shows up, you’re full on air.

And worst part? We blame ourselves. Like it’s our fault. But the system was literally designed to hijack our focus.

Confession Time: I Tried a Digital Detox

I once went full “digital detox.” Turned off my phone for three days. Day one: fidgety, anxious, constantly checking empty pockets. Day two: slightly saner, but super lonely. Day three: almost wrote a love letter to Instagram.

That’s when I realized: maybe the goal isn’t a full breakup. Maybe it’s about setting boundaries. Like an ex who still texts you—reply, but keep it short.

How to Outsmart the Collapse (No Monastery Required)

1. Do a Distraction Audit

Track what distracts you for a day. Which apps? What time? What were you doing? Not to blame yourself, but to spot patterns.

2. Set Weird Timers

I use a 17-minute timer (because 15 is too basic). For that time, I do one thing. Then I’m free to spiral. At least there were 17 honest minutes.

3. Use Focus Modes with Escape Routes

Block apps during work hours, but include a “panic break” option. We’re not machines. Sometimes memes save lives.

4. Rearrange Your Phone

Put essential apps up front. Bury social media in folders named something like “Focus Graveyard.” So you’ll think twice before opening it.

5. Start the Day Screen-Free

For the first hour, don’t look at a screen. Drink water, shower, journal, stare at the ceiling—anything but scroll.

Final Words: You’re Not Broken—Just Overstimulated

Focus isn’t about being flawless. It’s not about 12-hour marathons like anime protagonists. It’s about negotiating, adapting, and knowing when your brain’s begging for rest. So if today was a mess, that’s okay. Try again tomorrow. Maybe with a 17-minute timer. Or just open your laptop and don’t end up on YouTube—that’s a win.

Have you felt this too? Let’s chat in the comments. Maybe we’ll trade tips—or at least, complain in good company 😅