When we work with students, a key metric we’re looking at is how long they can work independently on a task.
For some students it’s 30 minutes. For others it’s 5 seconds.
It depends on the task and depends on the day, but generally, the numbers stay pretty consistent.
While it may not seem completely necessary to be able to work independently on tasks because there are many ways to make a living, at some point, it starts to hurt your personal life.
Maybe you can get by at your job while checking social media constantly and never focusing for more than five minutes at a time. But what about when you need to have a serious conversation with a friend and you find yourself drifting off after just a few minutes? Or when you’re in an important meeting and you retain no information?
Independent work and your capacity for it is not just about a job, it’s a crucial skill for being a human.