WORK UC psychologist Anthony Grasha said his research has demonstrated that humans really do have a relatively short attention span. That not only impacts how we learn, but how we do our jobs. Most people can maintain their avid attention on a task for about 15-20 minutes before they begin to think of other things. It's built into our psychological makeup. Some of it's biological, and some of it's learned.
Body rhythms are important here.
Grasha said that's why people who work odd hours typically get paid more. That incentive can actually change the way they think and work after dark. The 1998 Head Start Authorization Act requires 50 percent of the staff in each of the nation's Head Start Centers to have a degree in early childhood education by 2003. The mandate poses a real challenge for those who work full-time jobs in rural Head Start centers, far from college campuses. Two-thirds of the coursework is carried on satellite television, and the remaining third is accomplished over the Internet.