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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
In what I am sure must be some form of irony, I had a really hard time paying attention to this book! I have listened to countless (at least 100!) books in the car and I never felt I had an issue with paying attention to them. Of course, if I was concentrating on driving directions or traffic, I might have to rewind. But for this one, I just completely zoned out at times!
But, I am still giving this book 4 stars because when I did actually pay attention, I really liked what I heard. I am familiar with much of the research surrounding focus, productivity, etc. and Bailey was still able to provide some fresh and new information. Most unique are his conclusions on scatter focus, which I would probably call "zoning out" (perhaps what I was doing instead of listening in the car!) I also love concrete examples and tips for how to apply science to your everyday life and this book certainly delivered on those.
But, I am still giving this book 4 stars because when I did actually pay attention, I really liked what I heard. I am familiar with much of the research surrounding focus, productivity, etc. and Bailey was still able to provide some fresh and new information. Most unique are his conclusions on scatter focus, which I would probably call "zoning out" (perhaps what I was doing instead of listening in the car!) I also love concrete examples and tips for how to apply science to your everyday life and this book certainly delivered on those.
This has been my first full book on the topic, which is why i probably evaluate it in a fairly skewed way.
I was superficially familiar with the most concepts, but suprised by the scientific depth of the research that exists in the area of productivity, concentration etc.
Two things stand out that provided good value for me: (1) The scientific references i am now eager to go after since i now know some basics about what they are investigating, and (2) (probably far more impactful) a general sense of how the brain is on the one hand an inextricable part of my body but on the other hand a part that does not need to be treated as magic. It is far more fun and valuable to check out what you want and need your brain to do and to then treat it accordingly. I read this book motivated by my insufficient ability to concentrate and desire to work more efficiently. Will this book do that for me only by now having been read? I don't think so. But it offered me some reliable approaches and sources to go to if i really intend to improve on the way i use and treat my time and thinking instead of resorting to my own solutions that do not work or conventional wisdom that sounds nice but is not convincing.
However, a lot of advice in this book was useless and it took far too much time to finish it front to back. (Please don't do that and save yourself some time by skimming and checking out the references.)
I was superficially familiar with the most concepts, but suprised by the scientific depth of the research that exists in the area of productivity, concentration etc.
Two things stand out that provided good value for me: (1) The scientific references i am now eager to go after since i now know some basics about what they are investigating, and (2) (probably far more impactful) a general sense of how the brain is on the one hand an inextricable part of my body but on the other hand a part that does not need to be treated as magic. It is far more fun and valuable to check out what you want and need your brain to do and to then treat it accordingly. I read this book motivated by my insufficient ability to concentrate and desire to work more efficiently. Will this book do that for me only by now having been read? I don't think so. But it offered me some reliable approaches and sources to go to if i really intend to improve on the way i use and treat my time and thinking instead of resorting to my own solutions that do not work or conventional wisdom that sounds nice but is not convincing.
However, a lot of advice in this book was useless and it took far too much time to finish it front to back. (Please don't do that and save yourself some time by skimming and checking out the references.)
Nothing profound here, but always good to remind yourself of the basics. Set yourself up for greatness by removing distractions BEFORE they distract you, sleep more, meditate more, let your mind unwind often so that you can focus when you need to.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
It's an interesting book, it may can help you if you are confused and distracted in a world of the internet and you can't focus on the things that matter.
This book was a deep dive into how our minds flourish in different ways, and how to get the most out of our time when we need to concentrate deeply, or find creative solutions to problems. It had a lot of practical advice, good explanations of how we are wired, and he applied the theories to real life situations to help us understand these principles.
Two things let the book down for me - firstly, like the majority of books I have read about how to be more productive, almost everything he talked about was in a narrow framework of working in an office environment with a particular type of task requirements set out for you to do in one day. This narrows down the relevance of most of his examples to only a small percentage of people who can relate to them (although some of the ideas are transferable and could have been demonstrated that way). A much better book that looks at how we practically hone our energy in physical, mental, emotional and spiritual ways is On Form by Loehr & Schwartz. It covers lots of different lifestyles, careers and approaches.
The second is the title. It was misleading because hyperfocus is a term that has been coined to describe one of the factors in ADHD. He even says that at the start of the book, but says he is choosing to use the term for his own purposes in this book, and then goes on to suggest techniques that are probably very helpful for a neurotypical brain. I wish that had been more explicit in the description before I bought it. I can only liken it to titling a book “Depression” then going on to write about how to think more positively - addressing a small part of the issue while ignoring the much more severe factors surrounding the actual condition that has prevented the person from using that technique in the first place.
Two things let the book down for me - firstly, like the majority of books I have read about how to be more productive, almost everything he talked about was in a narrow framework of working in an office environment with a particular type of task requirements set out for you to do in one day. This narrows down the relevance of most of his examples to only a small percentage of people who can relate to them (although some of the ideas are transferable and could have been demonstrated that way). A much better book that looks at how we practically hone our energy in physical, mental, emotional and spiritual ways is On Form by Loehr & Schwartz. It covers lots of different lifestyles, careers and approaches.
The second is the title. It was misleading because hyperfocus is a term that has been coined to describe one of the factors in ADHD. He even says that at the start of the book, but says he is choosing to use the term for his own purposes in this book, and then goes on to suggest techniques that are probably very helpful for a neurotypical brain. I wish that had been more explicit in the description before I bought it. I can only liken it to titling a book “Depression” then going on to write about how to think more positively - addressing a small part of the issue while ignoring the much more severe factors surrounding the actual condition that has prevented the person from using that technique in the first place.
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I approach self-help and ‘advice’ books the same way as I imagine some people might approach the bible. Theirs is no real expectation that any revelation will be brand new, but there is an off-chance that spending some time reading and ruminating on the material will in some way renew inspiration, motivation and resolve.
This is a low bar, that Hyperfocus, for me, barely met. I read about 2/3 of it, and then moved on. It isn’t poorly written, nor do I have a problem with any of the offered advice; it just failed to inspire and motivate me. Bailey refers to many apparently academic studies on the subject of attention and concentration, but in the end – get your phone out of sight and out of mind to reduce the temptation that its attractions might hold; mind your environment; be aware of what you are thinking of; focus on tasks that yield high value to you. Nothing wrong there; but for me, there just wasn’t anything in the book (as far as I got) that would take me to a higher level, or lead to a change in my current routine.
Your perception and experience may vary, of course, and that’s OK.
This is a low bar, that Hyperfocus, for me, barely met. I read about 2/3 of it, and then moved on. It isn’t poorly written, nor do I have a problem with any of the offered advice; it just failed to inspire and motivate me. Bailey refers to many apparently academic studies on the subject of attention and concentration, but in the end – get your phone out of sight and out of mind to reduce the temptation that its attractions might hold; mind your environment; be aware of what you are thinking of; focus on tasks that yield high value to you. Nothing wrong there; but for me, there just wasn’t anything in the book (as far as I got) that would take me to a higher level, or lead to a change in my current routine.
Your perception and experience may vary, of course, and that’s OK.
informative
inspiring
medium-paced