The “tasks you’re put on earth to do” – things that are challenging, that provide a lot of satisfaction to you and value to the world.Research shows the eyes scan the page more slowly when the mind is wandering – e.g.Reading books like this keeps stimulating new ideas all the time. I marked 85% – I was working hard to pay attention, but my mind kept drifting to new tidbits I’d like to add to videos.While reading, it’s worth periodically asking: What percentage of my attention am I devoting to this book?.They don’t require conscious thought or heavy deliberation. As many as 40% of our actions are habits.When you notice your focus wavering, step back and do something mindless.Trade-off – you have to pay for this gained energy imbalance later in the day, but it’s often worth it.If early enough in the day – Caffeine can take 8-14 hours to metabolize out of your system.Question whether the book is worth consuming at all.I ended up with a lot of great ideas for videos, along with other listed distractions. I started this while reading this chapter, using my green moleskine.I think my brain uses breakfast as an excuse to seek novelty, and to avoid my tough work. Then I eat it while watching YT videos, and tend to keep watching them long after. I’ve noticed a pattern – when I wake up, I go through my morning routine and make breakfast.Experiment: Pay attention to when, and the number of times, you pull out your phone in a day.They’re a great way to escape from the task providing resistance. Phones provide a constant stream of tiny dopamine hits and novelty.“When your brain is even slightly resisting a task, it will look for more novel things to focus on.”.Distractions are caused by us.Ĭhapter 0.5: How to Better Focus on This Book Difference: Interruptions happen to us.Studies show we go an average of 40 seconds when working on a computer before becoming distracted or interrupted. Pay attention to nothing and let the mind wander.One of the best ways to foster creativity and additional productivity is learning to unfocus – to step back and gain some space, uninterrupted by something vying for your attention.“Constant connectivity is one of the worst disruptions to our focus and productivity.”.This is a theme that I think will crop up more and more in this book, and something I’m become more convicted about. Get the phone out of your immediate vicinity for most of the day.Chris leaves his phone at home even when going to the diner to write, in order to do so distraction-free.In any given moment, we are always focusing on something.Italicized text indicates my own thoughts and observations. It is worthwhile to learn how to deliberately enter both modes multiple times a day.Ĭhris’ writing on creating a distraction-free ritual was probably the most actionable thing for me in this book. the “diffuse mode” from A Mind for Numbers) allows for creativity and new insights. Hyperfocus allows you to stay focused on one problem and execute Scatterfocus (i.e. Main Takeawaysĭeliberately setting intentions before sitting down to work is hugely effective for staying on task and being resistant to distractions. I recommend this book if you want a deep dive into the science of focus along with a lot of practical advice for how to cultivate it. Most importantly, reading it served as a catalyst for reviewing my routines and habits, and then improving them. For me, this was one of those books that contained a lot of information I already knew, but served to bolster that information with additional studies and examples.
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