Everyday Wellness: Midlife Hormones, Menopause, and Science for Women 35+ Ep. 565 We’re Wired to Lose Focus – The Best Tools to Reclaim Clarity & Conquer Overwhelm with Dr. Zelana Montminy | Menopause & Mental Health
Mar 11, 2026
Dr. Zelana Montminy, clinical psychologist and author of Finding Focus, advises organizations on attention and mental fitness. She explores novelty bias and how tech-driven dopamine rewires our brains. Short discussions cover why multitasking fails, generational shifts in empathy and conscientiousness, the gut-brain link, Pomodoro-style focus tools, and the power of curiosity and awe to reclaim clarity.
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Constant Novelty Trains Fast Dopamine Seeking
- Novelty bias makes new experiences feel disproportionately rewarding, and constant access to novel tech trains the brain for quick dopamine instead of slow, earned rewards.
- Dr. Zelana Montminy explains kids skip practicing discomfort (no lines, instant media), so neural circuits for delayed reward and sustained effort don't strengthen.
Library Stacks Versus Instant Internet Research
- Cynthia Thurlow tells how college in the 1990s required physical research trips to libraries and card catalogs, creating slow, effortful learning.
- She contrasts that era's embodied information retrieval with today's passive, instant access that short-circuits practice and patience.
Technology Is Eroding Conscientiousness And Empathy
- Ubiquitous smartphones and 24/7 content cause atrophy of brain circuits used for deep attention and conscientious behaviors like showing up or writing thank-you notes.
- Dr. Zelana Montminy links this to declining empathy and a measured drop in conscientiousness among younger generations.
