Gloria Mark Attention Research
Influential research by UC Irvine Professor Gloria Mark demonstrating that it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to regain focus after interruptions, fundamentally shaping modern understanding of productivity and time management.
Last updated: 2026-03-19 03:26
Overview
Gloria Mark is a Professor in the Department of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine. Her research on attention, interruptions, and multitasking has become foundational to modern time management and productivity practices.
Key Research Finding
Mark's most widely cited finding is that it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to fully regain focus after being interrupted. This research has profoundly influenced how organizations and individuals approach work scheduling and time blocking.
Research Areas
Mark's work examines:
- Attention Span: How digital environments affect our ability to maintain focus
- Interruptions: The cognitive cost of workplace interruptions
- Multitasking: The effects of attempting to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously
- Digital Wellbeing: How technology use impacts stress and productivity
Practical Applications
Her research supports:
- Creating protected time blocks without interruptions
- Minimizing context switching through task batching
- Designing workspaces and schedules that reduce unnecessary interruptions
- Understanding the true cost of "quick" interruptions
Publications
Mark has published extensively in academic journals and her book "Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity" (2023) makes her research accessible to general audiences.
Related Items
10 IQ Point Drop from Heavy Multitasking
Research finding from a 2024 study showing that heavy multitasking can lead to a temporary drop of up to 10 IQ points, a reduction greater than the effect of losing a night's sleep, highlighting severe cognitive costs of task switching.
2-3 Hour Daily Deep Focus Limit
Research from Hubstaff's 2026 Global Work Index showing the average team member only spends 2-3 hours per day in deep focus, based on data from over 140,000 workers across 17,000 organizations, highlighting the scarcity of focused work time.
2.5% Supertaskers Statistic
Research finding showing only 2.5% of people are 'supertaskers' who can genuinely multitask without performance degradation. For the remaining 97.5% of the population, multitasking is actually rapid task switching with cognitive penalties.
30-60 Second Focus Entry (Neuroscience)
Neuroscience finding that spending 30-60 seconds staring at a specific point before deep work narrows the visual field and triggers norepinephrine release, priming the brain for focused cognitive effort.