Dear Reader,

Recently, I experienced an all-too-common moment: midway through recording a voice message, I completely lost track of my original point. Perhaps you can relate. Voice messages are convenient, efficient, and hands-free, perfect for driving, running, or multitasking through the day’s numerous responsibilities and chores. Over the last year, I have grown increasingly accustomed to using voice tools, and I am singing praises about the wonders of Evernote voice transcription capability, the Voicenotes app, WhatsApp, and Telegram voice messages.

Yet, ironically, this ease of use often leads to distraction, causing us to split our focus among several tasks simultaneously. The result? Our attention weakens, and our thoughts become fragmented, creating gaps in our narrative and diminishing the clarity of our communication.

This minor incident prompted some reflections on the relationship between attention and memory. Sherlock Holmes once metaphorically described the human brain as an “empty attic,” suggesting we should consciously decide what to store there. Holmes notably disregarded specific facts—such as Earth’s orbit around the Sun—arguing pragmatically that occupying valuable mental space with unnecessary details was inefficient. His philosophy highlights a critical point: selective retention enhances cognitive efficiency, enabling us to allocate our mental resources toward more meaningful endeavours.

I consider that a man’s brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things, so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it. Now the skillful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order.

Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle)

Our current hyper-connected society is constantly bombarded with an overwhelming influx of information. Modern individuals process substantially more data each day compared to what medieval ancestors encountered in their entire lifetimes. The continual stream of emails, instant messages, social media notifications, and endless news updates significantly strain our cognitive bandwidth. Watching a typical newscast, for instance, often feels like receiving a barrage of distressing headlines. Each piece of information arrives too quickly to allow meaningful reflection or critical analysis, effectively numbing our sensitivity and leaving us overstimulated yet under-informed, or worse, crafty writers and editors often exploit this short-spanned attention by crafting emotionally charged headlines designed to provoke immediate responses. Unfortunately, these headlines frequently have only tangential connections to the actual content of the news, further fragmenting our attention and reducing our capacity for critical thinking.

Memory is inherently selective, shaped primarily by our attention and emotional resonance. We naturally retain information that deeply interests us or carries significant emotional weight, whereas trivial interactions or superficial news flashes tend to fade rapidly. Understanding this selective mechanism allows us to take greater control over what occupies our mental space, both in additive and subtractive terms, improving cognitive clarity and psychological well-being.

Embracing this selective approach can be liberating. Like many others, I regularly use apps such as Evernote and Readwise Reader to bookmark articles that initially interest me. Yet frequently, when revisiting these saved articles later, I discover they’re far less critical or engaging than they first seemed. This habit of digitally archiving content for later reassessment helps me filter out less critical information, preserving my cognitive resources for subjects that genuinely captivate me and align with my long-term goals and interests. In these modern days of AI, I often request an AI-generated summary of articles or videos before fully engaging with them, quickly filtering out content that I find misaligned with my initial expectations.

Our brains are not structured to retain every minor detail—that’s precisely what technological tools are designed to accomplish. Instead, our memories function best when they support our primary interests and priorities, preserving mental space for tasks and ideas that truly matter to us. Whenever you find yourself overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information, it’s beneficial to pause and consider: “Is this something I genuinely need to remember? Can I trust it to a digital tool, or can I safely discard it?” Cultivating this mindful discernment helps clear mental clutter and ensures our focus remains aligned with what sanely enriches our lives.

Until next time, here’s a challenge I’d like to propose: stepping away from newspapers, internet news, and television news for one whole week. During this time, observe how your overall anxiety levels change, and honestly assess whether you genuinely feel under-informed about significant topics. I’d love to hear about your experience!