By Published On: March 29, 2013

I recently discovered by taking an online assessment that my attention span might be a tad less than I had previously thought.

How can this be? I work in marketing. We all know that this business requires meticulous attention to detail and I pride myself on my ability to multitask and manage multiple projects like a symphony conductor. Give me any other attention measurement test and I will prove it to you. I will ace the test and impress you with my abilities. You cannot sneak a gorilla in on me. (If you don’t understand this reference, even though I’ve given away the punch line, you can still go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJG698U2Mvo).

All these statements are true. I can focus, zone in, manage the details, juggle a multitude of projects…all of that.  But, what happens when presented a series of questions where I am asked to self-report my behavior? Do I glance at the TV while my husband is talking to me and miss his point? Ok, yes.  Do I sometimes read email while on the phone. Guilty. These weren’t actually questions on the test, but they represent the point. These type of behaviors illustrate that we do things that can deflate our attention.

The attention span measurement test I took was from Psychology Today. The site states that it contains 10 questions and it takes 5 minutes, but it really only takes about a minute, so even if you have a very short attention span you should be able to get through the test. You can check it out yourself at: http://psychologytoday.tests.psychtests.com/take_test.php?idRegTest=3361.  Personally, my less than desirable score really got my attention.

About the Author: Megan Devine

Megan Devine
Megan taps into her left-brain logic and right brain creativity—steering the business, bantering with her team, and strategizing on client work. She says it’s her dream job and we believe her. Using her passion and knack for understanding complex connections in business and marketing, she collaborates to create love between brands and customers. She possesses expertise and experience that only comes from persevering in the ever-changing marketing agency world. Megan co-founded d.trio marketing group, now cat&tonic, in January of 2000 and took sole ownership in 2019. Her vision, support, and sheer stubbornness got us through 9/11, the great recession, and a pandemic. She has judged the International ECHO Awards since 2005, has consulted for several organizations, and serves on several boards. Educated at Carleton College, she learned the importance of critical thinking for success. At home she learned the value of a good story.
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