Hyperfocus
By Chris Bailey
How to Work Less to Achieve More
Hyperfocus(2018) is a straightforward guide to reclaiming your attention that lays out how you can boost both your productivity and creativity by learning to redirect your focus. Combining periods of intense concentration with spells of creative thinking sets the foundation for a brighter, more efficient version of you.
The average mind wanders 47% of the time.
Directing your attention toward the most important object of your choosing - and then sustaining that attention - is the most consequential decision you will make today
- Meta-awareness and intentional focus are key to managing your attention
- Meta-awareness refers to the ability to step outside your thoughts, and become aware of what you're thinking.
- You might catch yourselfdreaming about your lunchtime sandwich, and consciously redirect your attention to your coworker instead.
- Meta-awareness acts as a reminder to check in on your attentional space, intentions show you where to redirect your attention when you need to.
- Achieve hyperfocus by ridding your environment of distractions
- "Keep one important, complex object of attention in your awareness as you work."
- Scatterfocus helps you plan and think creatively
- Use scatterfocus to connect the dots between seemingly unrelated bits of information
- One of the reasons that scatterfocus can lead to novel ideas and creative breakthroughs is because of something called the Zeigarnik Effect.
- The Zeigarnik Effect means that whenever you leave a problem unsolved, your mind works away at it in the background. If you then encounter a relevant piece of information, you unconsciously slot it into the equation -- sometimes with startling results.
- Nourish your mind to make the most of scatterfocus.
- Consuming valuable material in general makes scatterfocus sessions even more productive.
- Actionable Advice
- Have a cup of coffee to help you hyperfocus.
- Caffeine and hyperfocus are a match made in heaven. Caffeine keeps you alert and focused. It helps you persevere when work gets boring. And perhaps most importantly, it can improve your performance on a number of cognitive tasks. So the next time you need a burst of intense concentration, make sure you've got a cup of coffee to hand -- if nothing else, it tastes wonderful.