Dr Gloria Mark

My interview on Freakonomics is being rebroadcast this week on NPR. You'll learn everything you need to know about attention, multitasking, distractions, improving your focus. It's a really fun interview--you'll laugh a lot.
#attention #technology #focus #technology
freakonomics.com/podcast/seas...

How our happiness became engineered From Madison Avenue to TikTok’s algorithm, the long story of manufactured joy

From the industrial revolution to mass consumerism to the digital age--our view of happiness has changed. Read about the history of how pleasure became engineered in the digital age, in my Substack.
#well-being #management #tech #attention

gloriamark.substack.com/p/how-our-ha...

Renewing the brain through learning Neuroplasticity in the age of screens

We tend to take the path of least resistance. But putting in work to build a new skill can literally rewire our brains to make them more efficient. Read about it in my latest Substack.
#Mind #Neuroscience #Brain #art #tech
gloriamark.substack.com/p/renewing-t...

In a country so deeply divided, we don't realize how simple Internet search can inadvertently strengthen our biases.

In my latest Substack, read more how to increase analytical reasoning in daily life.
#education #technology #Internet #focus #biases

gloriamark.substack.com/p/we-search-...

I bought a sleep-tracking ring. It took over my life. - The Boston Globe We should avoid letting apps override how we respond to our body’s basic signals — whether we’re hungry, tired, or upset.

My op ed appeared today in The Boston Globe. It highlights how we can so easily become dependent on our devices that we ignore our own body's signals.
#wellbeing #technology #stress #attention #focus
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/09/19/o...

How a digital habit can erode self-awareness Learning to balance technology and self-trust

The real challenge isn’t whether we use technology, but how we use it.

In my Substack, read how technology habits can lead us to lose touch with ourselves.
#technology #habits #agency #dependency #attention
gloriamark.substack.com/p/how-a-digi...

The decline in reading and what it costs us Reading gives us far more than entertainment

A recent study shows Americans are reading less for pleasure. In this week's Substack, I discuss what happens to our minds when we read less-- It's more than just entertainment.
#psychology #wellbeing #technology #attention #reading
gloriamark.substack.com/p/the-declin...

Are we growing sharper with time? How aging and technology might shape our minds

A new study found decreasing rates of cognitive decline and dementia--attributed to technology use. My Substack explains why we shouldn't celebrate so fast.
#technology #health #exercise #dementia #attention #cognition #psychology

gloriamark.substack.com/p/are-we-gro...

Our brain is shaped by what we feed it How a TikTok habit rewires our brain

My latest Substack covers why it's so critical to keep our minds stimulated: read about how neurogenesis works.
#Productivity #AI #NeuralNetworks #technology #psychology #neuroscience #brain #wellbeing
gloriamark.substack.com/p/our-brain-...

Addled Why are people’s cognitive skills declining? Gloria Mark on how consumer technology is making us more error-prone, more stressed, and less productive.

Read on: www.thesgnl.com/2025/04/cog...

#tech #addiction #wellbeing #futureofwork
@gloriamark.bsky.social‬

The case for depth in an age of convenience Pushing back on minimal thinking in a post-effort world

Technology's efficiency saves us from mundane and repetitive tasks. Yet too often, we squander that freed-up time.

My latest Substack covers what we can do to reclaim our capacity for deeper thinking.
#management #AI #attention #technology #focus
gloriamark.substack.com/p/the-case-f...

Nir Eisikovits on the freedom of attention The new literacy is learning to pay attention

This week on my Substack, I discuss freedom of attention with Nir Eisikovitz, Director of the Applied Ethics Ctr, UMass, Boston. Is freedom of attention just an illusion?

You can read our discussion here.
gloriamark.substack.com/p/nir-eisiko...
#attention #distraction #technology #psychology #AI

I hope I haven’t just seen the future of hospitality - The Boston Globe We checked into a hotel that was completely automated. No humans in sight.

My op ed in The Boston Globe just came out. You can read about how our future will appear when we fully automate the hospitality industry. A world without a human touch will not be a welcoming world.

#automation #AI #hospitality #loneliness #management

www.bostonglobe.com/2025/06/03/o...

Hospitality without humans Welcome to the hotel of the future

Recently I visited what was meant to be the hotel of the future but it wasn't what I expected. In my Substack, I discuss the dangers of such fully automated experiences.
#technology #AI #automation #wellbeing #Management

gloriamark.substack.com/p/hospitalit...

Leisure contamination Why it’s a struggle to detach in our always-on culture

Read how you can avoid "leisure time contamination"--when we have mental spillover of stress into those rare moments that are meant to be restful.
#management #productivity #wellbeing #technology #email #stress
gloriamark.substack.com/p/leisure-co...

Why we can’t do it all Our minds remain a bottleneck

Our minds have a strict limit on how much we can process. A recent Cal Tech study discovered exactly what that limit is: 10 bits per second. So don't feel guilty if you can't do it all: we're not wired for it.
#attention #stress #productivity #Tech

gloriamark.substack.com/p/why-we-can...

Resist distraction, discover immersion Cultivate cognitive patience

Learn how reading longform content can help build a skill of sustained attention.

You can read more about immersion and the benefits of reading in my Substack.
#attention #distraction #technology #socialmedia #wellbeing
gloriamark.substack.com/p/resist-dis...

Read how our cognitive skills are declining in my discussion with The Signal.
#attention #distraction #productivity #wellbeing #technology

Passion projects can boost well-being Restore yourself by stepping away from the screen and trying a hobby

My latest Substack presents the research showing how a passion project can do a lot for our mental and physical health. Try it out instead of screen time.
#wellbeing #leisure #stress #project #productivity
gloriamark.substack.com/p/passion-pr...

Don Norman, on the future of design and the fate of the planet A vision for humanity-centered design

Read my interview with the legendary Don Norman, father of user-interface design, on his new vision of design for humanity. He's one of the most influential voices in computing and design.
#design #HCI #computing #technology #interface #climatechange
gloriamark.substack.com/p/don-norman...

Outsourcing our minds The cognitive cost of generative AI

AI's vision is to free up cognitive resources to be more productive. But research shows this isn't the case. Critical thinking worsens.
Learn more in my latest Substack, "Outsourcing our minds."
#AI #productivity #management #tech #creativity #wellbring

gloriamark.substack.com/p/outsourcin...

Distraction isn’t about the smartphone. It’s about us. Learned distraction can be unlearned

A recent study suggests that it's not smartphones that distract us, but something more unsettling: it's us.

Read more in my latest Substack.
#attention #distraction #smartphone #productivity #wellbeing

gloriamark.substack.com/p/distractio...

Fighting for focus in the age of distraction - ABC listen Be honest, how many times have you checked your notifications in the last hour? Or opened a new, totally unrelated tab? Or stopped what you're doing even though you really need to do it? Distractions...

Had a fantastic conversation with host Sana Qadar on ABC's All In The Mind show on why we can't focus in today's digital age, and how we can build a skill of paying attention.
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

#smartphone #attention #distraction #productivity #focus #wellbeing

Eating alone in the age of connection Invite people and not a smartphone to be your dining guest

The 2025 World Happiness Report finds sharing meals is a key predictor of happiness. And BTW, the U.S. ranks 69th globally in dining w/others.
#smartphone #wellbeing #happiness #loneliness
Check out my Substack to read more:
gloriamark.substack.com/p/eating-alo...

The rise of synthetic companions Will AI become our closest confidants?

Synthetic companions are gaining popularity, with an estimated 52 million users. Is this a passing flirtation or societal shift? Read more in my latest Substack.
#AI #attention #relationship #tech #wellbeing

gloriamark.substack.com/p/the-rise-o...

Is technology weakening our memory? We need to balance digital efficiency with retaining our human capability

Our memories have gotten worse in the digital age.
In my recent Substack post, I report on the research and discuss what we can do. I invite you to subscribe to my Substack.
#memory #technology #smartphone #wellbeing #productivity

Read more: gloriamark.substack.com/p/is-technol...

The disappearing act of emotional intelligence Why investing in our emotional skill is essential

Emotional intelligence is critical for well-being--yet research shows it’s been declining. Read my latest Substack to learn more about emotional intelligence, how it's measured, and how we might improve it.

#emotions #attention #management #wellbeing

gloriamark.substack.com/p/the-disapp...

7 Habits to Stay Focused in a World Full of Distractions Interruptions, both external and self-inflicted, are no longer the exception; they’ve become our default mode. How can you strengthen your attention and stay on track? Here are seven simple techniques...

Multitasking comes at a huge cost in the form of stress and errors.

hbr.org/2025/02/7-ha...

Our obsession with productivity How overwork became a status symbol

Our relentless drive for productivity is literally killing us--in Japanese it's called karoshi. In the U.S., work kills us slower through stress, burnout and chronic diseases.

Read more in my latest Substack.

#productivity #burnout #wellbeing #psychology
gloriamark.substack.com/p/our-obsess...

It will impact the research--there won't be staff to hold review panels, to administer awards. Next year they'll cut the funding. NSF-funded research has had profound impacts. E.g. without NSF funds, who will do basic research on climate change?