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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
This is an eye-opening book about focusing in which the author introduces two main modes of it, namely Hyperfocus and Scatterfocus. Hyperfocus is when we focus our attention on one single task while Scatterfocus is when we take a step back and focus on nothing in particular, letting our minds wander and activating our brain’s creative mode. If you are interested in learning more about these two modes of focusing and using them to improve your productivity, this is a book I highly recommend to you.
As someone who has an attention span of a chihuahua, I found this book super helpful in implementing easy-to-follow strategies in removing distractions, managing your focus, and re-evaluating what are the things I do daily that are wasting my time. Hyper-focus will probably rival Atomic Habits as my top non-fiction book this year!
Practical tactics I find useful:
1. Determine the types of tasks you do:
a. Necessary work - unattractive yet productive (team meetings, tasks with deadlines)
b. Unnecessary work - unattractive and unproductive (re-arranging papers or sorting files on your computer)
c. Distracting work - attractive and unproductive (social media)
d. Purposeful work - attractive and productive (tasks we’re most engaged on as we do them; tasks with which we make the largest impact)
2. Choose a meaningful object of attention
3. Make a distraction list (external and internal) every time something comes up that shifts your focus away from your task. Then eliminate them
4. Focus on that chosen object of attention
5. Continue to bring your attention back to the task at hand
Practical tactics I find useful:
1. Determine the types of tasks you do:
a. Necessary work - unattractive yet productive (team meetings, tasks with deadlines)
b. Unnecessary work - unattractive and unproductive (re-arranging papers or sorting files on your computer)
c. Distracting work - attractive and unproductive (social media)
d. Purposeful work - attractive and productive (tasks we’re most engaged on as we do them; tasks with which we make the largest impact)
2. Choose a meaningful object of attention
3. Make a distraction list (external and internal) every time something comes up that shifts your focus away from your task. Then eliminate them
4. Focus on that chosen object of attention
5. Continue to bring your attention back to the task at hand
informative
inspiring
It was a decent book, however a lot of ideas seemed to have been borrowed from Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. The book seemed like an implementation of the ideas portrayed by Mihlay in his book.
However the latter part of the book was the one that interested me the most, the bit about Scatterfocus, how we can utilise the ability of our mind to wander and use that in order to create connections and how we should also be more mindful of what we do consume. All in all it was an interesting read.
However the latter part of the book was the one that interested me the most, the bit about Scatterfocus, how we can utilise the ability of our mind to wander and use that in order to create connections and how we should also be more mindful of what we do consume. All in all it was an interesting read.
A nice reminder, but nothing groundbreaking. Makes me think of the male version of Gretchen Rubin
Tips boil down to:
Get adequate sleep
Mediate
Disable notifications of all kinds
Allow your mind to wander when appropriate
Tips boil down to:
Get adequate sleep
Mediate
Disable notifications of all kinds
Allow your mind to wander when appropriate
reflective
medium-paced
The two main concepts in Hyperfocus: How to Be More Productive in a World of Distraction are interesting -both Hyperfocus and Scatterfocus happen on a daily basis, and it was great recognising the patterns that happen naturally for me throughout the day. The book also provided great examples of how to further leverage these natural stages for our own benefit.
But it did get repetitive. It was hard to come up with new ideas after a few chapters.
But it did get repetitive. It was hard to come up with new ideas after a few chapters.
informative
reflective
fast-paced
informative
reflective
fast-paced
Lots of very practical information. Alternating between hyperfocus and scratterfocus for productivity and then creativity, and being thoughtful about which approach will help you most at any moment, is an interesting way to prime yourself for the task at hand.