University of London Study: How to Lower Your I.Q. by 10 Points

Have you been feeling a little stupid lately? It may not be your imagination. A University of London study concludes: Emails, text messages, and phone messages can be hazardous to your ability to reason.

Respondents' minds were all over the place as they faced new questions and challenges every time an email dropped into their inbox.

The most damage was done, according to the survey, by the almost complete lack of discipline in handling emails. Dr Wilson [Dr. Glenn Wilson, who carried out the research] and his colleagues found a compulsion to reply to each new message, leading to constant changes of direction which inevitably tired and slowed down the brain.

The solution? Get a grip. Don't feel compelled to interrupt current projects to answer emails or text messages immediately unless they require an immediate response. You might just start feeling a little smarter again. Dr. Wilson offers his advice to employers: "Companies should encourage a more balanced and appropriate way of working."

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